Aspergillus fumigatus – deciphering the role of the chitin synthase families I and II by multiple gene targeting deletion

Ref ID: 19605

Author:

L Muszkieta1, V Aimanianda1*, E Mellado2, A Beauvais1, MC Prevost3, JP Latgé1

Author address:

1Unité des Aspergillus, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
2Mycology Reference Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Microbiologia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid,
Spain
3Plate-Forme de Microscopie Ultra-Structurale, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France

Full conference title:

6th Advances Against Aspergillosis 2014

Abstract:

Purpose:
Chitin is an essential component of the fungal cell wall (CW), contributing for the mechanical
strength and shape of the fungal cell. In Aspergillus fumigatus (the most ubiquitous opportunistic
human-fungal pathogen), there are eight chitin synthase (CHS) genes belonging to the two families.
Our aim was to understand the function of each CHS genes using single and multiple gene deletion
strategy.
Methods:
Single and multiple deletions of the CHS were performed using β -reg/six system (Hartmann et al.,
2010). Deletion mutants’ phenotypic (radial growth, conidiation, mycelial morphology) analyses
were performed. Mutants were analyzed for their conidial/mycelial CW chitin content, CHS-activity,
susceptibility to antifungal drugs/CW perturbing agents and pathogenicity.
Results:
β -Reg/six system allowed us to obtain single up to quadruple chs-deletion mutants belonging to
the two families (family I – 916;chsACBG and 916;csmABchsFG belonging to family II). Of the family I
CHS, there was reduced conidiation, altered mycelial morphotype and reduced CHS activity in the
916;chsG and 916;chsACBG mutants; but all the mutants were as virulent as the wild-type strain. Among
family II CHS, phenotypic defects were mainly associated with CSMA deletion mutant. Despite of
the significant morphological growth phenotypes of the quadruple mutants, the chitin contents of
the entire single and multiple deletion mutants were equal/non-significantly reduced compared to
the parental strain.
Conclusions:
For the first time we did multiple CHS deletion in the filamentous fungus A. fumigatus, which has
highlighted the complex overlapping role of the different CHS genes inside and in-between the two
chitin synthase families.

NOTE: THIS ABSTRACT HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR ORAL PRESENTATION.

Abstract Number: 130

Conference Year: 2014

Link to conference website: http://www.AAA2014.org

New link: NULL

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