Fungal Extracellular Vesicles: Past, Present and Future

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Genomics, Genetics and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2023) | Viewed by 5377

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Interests: mycology; extracellular vesicles; host–patogen interaction; immunology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Interests: microbial pathogenesis; Histoplasma; Candida; Cryptococcus; Paracoccidioides; extracellular fungal vesicles; novel therapeutics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are structures released by cells from a remarkably broad range of organisms from all Kingdoms of life, as a way of regulating the release of diverse compounds to the extracellular environment. EVs vary in size, content and can come in different colours, as these dynamic structures are able to carry not only structural lipids and proteins, but also signalling molecules from different classes, nucleic acids and pigments. After being described in bacteria, protozoa and animals, the production and release of EVs was described in fungi in 2007, disproving the scepticism related to the challenges involved with the crossing of a complex polysaccharide layer, the fungal cell wall, by these fascinating lipid bilayered “virulence bags”, a phenomenon that is still poorly understood. After 15 years of research on fungal EVs, it is known that they are involved in cellular communication within and between fungal populations, but also with the host, to induce or suppress the immune response. Furthermore, due to the diversity of their cargo, fungal EVs have been described as potential platforms for biotechnological applications. Despite the growing data on fungal EVs, many questions regarding these structures remain unanswered and this Special Issue will bring to light the past, present and future related to this rapidly expanding field.

Dr. Daniel Zamith Miranda
Prof. Dr. Joshua D. Nosanchuk
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • fungal extracellular vesicles
  • cargo
  • immunomodulatory
  • host
  • communication

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3086 KiB  
Article
Candida albicans Biofilm-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Are Involved in the Tolerance to Caspofungin, Biofilm Detachment, and Fungal Proteolytic Activity
by Justyna Karkowska-Kuleta, Kamila Kulig, Grazyna Bras, Karolina Stelmaszczyk, Magdalena Surowiec, Andrzej Kozik, Elzbieta Karnas, Olga Barczyk-Woznicka, Ewa Zuba-Surma, Elzbieta Pyza and Maria Rapala-Kozik
J. Fungi 2023, 9(11), 1078; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9111078 - 04 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1490
Abstract
It has been repeatedly reported that the cells of organisms in all kingdoms of life produce nanometer-sized lipid membrane-enveloped extracellular vesicles (EVs), transporting and protecting various substances of cellular origin. While the composition of EVs produced by human pathogenic fungi has been studied [...] Read more.
It has been repeatedly reported that the cells of organisms in all kingdoms of life produce nanometer-sized lipid membrane-enveloped extracellular vesicles (EVs), transporting and protecting various substances of cellular origin. While the composition of EVs produced by human pathogenic fungi has been studied in recent decades, another important challenge is the analysis of their functionality. Thus far, fungal EVs have been shown to play significant roles in intercellular communication, biofilm production, and modulation of host immune cell responses. In this study, we verified the involvement of biofilm-derived EVs produced by two different strains of Candida albicansC. albicans SC5314 and 3147 (ATCC 10231)—in various aspects of biofilm function by examining its thickness, stability, metabolic activity, and cell viability in the presence of EVs and the antifungal drug caspofungin. Furthermore, the proteolytic activity against the kininogen-derived antimicrobial peptide NAT26 was confirmed by HPLC analysis for C. albicans EVs that are known to carry, among others, particular members of the secreted aspartic proteinases (Saps) family. In conclusion, EVs derived from C. albicans biofilms were shown to be involved in biofilm tolerance to caspofungin, biofilm detachment, and fungal proteolytic activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Extracellular Vesicles: Past, Present and Future)
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19 pages, 3456 KiB  
Article
Traversing the Cell Wall: The Chitinolytic Activity of Histoplasma capsulatum Extracellular Vesicles Facilitates Their Release
by Alessandro F. Valdez, Taiane Nascimento de Souza, Jhon Jhamilton Artunduaga Bonilla, Daniel Zamith-Miranda, Alicia Corbellini Piffer, Glauber R. S. Araujo, Allan J. Guimarães, Susana Frases, Alana Kelyene Pereira, Taicia Pacheco Fill, Igor L. Estevao, Angel Torres, Igor C. Almeida, Joshua D. Nosanchuk and Leonardo Nimrichter
J. Fungi 2023, 9(11), 1052; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9111052 - 27 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1232
Abstract
Histoplasma capsulatum is the causative agent of histoplasmosis. Treating this fungal infection conventionally has significant limitations, prompting the search for alternative therapies. In this context, fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold relevant potential as both therapeutic agents and targets for the treatment of fungal [...] Read more.
Histoplasma capsulatum is the causative agent of histoplasmosis. Treating this fungal infection conventionally has significant limitations, prompting the search for alternative therapies. In this context, fungal extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold relevant potential as both therapeutic agents and targets for the treatment of fungal infections. To explore this further, we conducted a study using pharmacological inhibitors of chitinase (methylxanthines) to investigate their potential to reduce EV release and its subsequent impact on fungal virulence in an in vivo invertebrate model. Our findings revealed that a subinhibitory concentration of the methylxanthine, caffeine, effectively reduces EV release, leading to a modulation of H. capsulatum virulence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of a pharmacological inhibitor that reduces fungal EV release without any observed fungicidal effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Extracellular Vesicles: Past, Present and Future)
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15 pages, 2432 KiB  
Article
Metabolomic Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles from the Cereal Fungal Pathogen Fusarium graminearum
by Donovan Garcia-Ceron, Thy T. Truong, Julian Ratcliffe, James A. McKenna, Mark R. Bleackley and Marilyn A. Anderson
J. Fungi 2023, 9(5), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9050507 - 24 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2130
Abstract
Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) is a filamentous fungus that infects cereals such as corn, wheat, and barley, with serious impact on yield as well as quality when the grain is contaminated with mycotoxins. Despite the huge impact of F. graminearum on [...] Read more.
Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) is a filamentous fungus that infects cereals such as corn, wheat, and barley, with serious impact on yield as well as quality when the grain is contaminated with mycotoxins. Despite the huge impact of F. graminearum on food security and mammalian health, the mechanisms used by F. graminearum to export virulence factors during infection are not fully understood and may involve non-classical secretory pathways. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bound compartments produced by cells of all kingdoms that transport several classes of macromolecules and are implicated in cell–cell communication. EVs produced by human fungal pathogens carry cargo that facilitate infection, leading us to ask whether plant fungal pathogens also deliver molecules that increase virulence via EVs. We examined the metabolome of the EVs produced by F. graminearum to determine whether they carry small molecules that could modulate plant–pathogen interactions. We discovered that EVs from F. graminearum were produced in liquid medium-containing inducers of trichothecene production, but in lower quantities compared to other media. Nanoparticle tracking analysis and cryo-electron microscopy revealed that the EVs were morphologically similar to EVs from other organisms; hence, the EVs were metabolically profiled using LC-ESI-MS/MS. This analysis revealed that EVs carry 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1) and metabolites that have been suggested by others to have a role in host–pathogen interactions. BP-1 reduced the growth of F. graminearum in an in vitro assay, suggesting that F. graminearum might use EVs to limit metabolite self-toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Extracellular Vesicles: Past, Present and Future)
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