Functional and Expression Analyses of the Pneumocystis MAT Genes Suggest Obligate Sexuality through Primary Homothallism within Host Lungs

MBio
S RichardP M Hauser

Abstract

Fungi of the genus Pneumocystis are obligate parasites that colonize mammals' lungs and are host species specific. Pneumocystis jirovecii and Pneumocystis carinii infect, respectively, humans and rats. They can turn into opportunistic pathogens in immunosuppressed hosts, causing severe pneumonia. Their cell cycle is poorly known, mainly because of the absence of an established method of culture in vitro It is thought to include both asexual and sexual phases. Comparative genomic analysis suggested that their mode of sexual reproduction is primary homothallism involving a single mating type (MAT) locus encompassing plus and minus genes (matMc, matMi, and matPi; Almeida et al., mBio 6:e02250-14, 2015). Thus, each strain would be capable of sexual reproduction alone (self-fertility). However, this is a working hypothesis derived from computational analyses that is, in addition, based on the genome sequences of single isolates. Here, we tested this hypothesis in the wet laboratory. The function of the P. jirovecii and P. carinii matMc genes was ascertained by restoration of sporulation in the corresponding mutant of fission yeast. Using PCR, we found the same single MAT locus in all P. jirovecii isolates and showed that all three M...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 4, 2018·The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology·Melanie T CushionLouis M Weiss
Dec 7, 2018·PLoS Pathogens·Philippe M Hauser, Melanie T Cushion
May 6, 2020·Journal of Medical Microbiology·Thomas PerretFrederic Lamoth
Jun 21, 2020·The Journal of Infectious Diseases·Emanuel Schmid-SiegertPhilippe M Hauser
Jun 17, 2021·Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews : MMBR·Philippe M Hauser
Jul 22, 2021·The Journal of Infectious Diseases·Theodore J KottomAndrew H Limper

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
PCR
PCRs
bronchoalveolar lavage

Software Mentioned

Dotlet
tBLASTn BLAST suite
tBLASTn
InterProScan4

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