Orientador : Rosemeire Cristina Linhari Rodrigues Pietro / Coorientador: Ana Cláudia Pavarina / Banca: Edwil Aparecida de Lucca Gattas / Banca: Hérida Regina Nunes Salgado / Banca: Silvio Silverio da Silva / Banca: Carlos Henrique Gomes Martins / Resumo: O surgimento de biofilmes de Candida albicans como uma forma de resistência microbiana em superfícies sólidas é um problema de saúde pública crescente, uma vez que as opções terapêuticas eficientes para a redução e eliminação deste são escassas, sobretudo devido à sua alta resistência a antifúngicos. As enzimas produzidas por micro-organismos despertam um grande interesse por representarem uma opção biotecnológica aos enxaguatórios e antifúngicos disponíveis no mercado. O objetivo deste estudo foi produzir, determinar a atividade, fracionar três diferentes enzimas fúngicas (protease, amilase e lipase) e estabelecer a efetividade destas na redução de biofilme de C. albicans, além de avaliar os possíveis mecanismos de ação destas enzimas sobre o biofilme. A produção enzimática foi realizada por diferentes linhagens fúngicas a partir de fermentação submersa em biorreator, acompanhada de estudo dos parâmetros bioquímicos de cada enzima. A avaliação da efetividade frente ao biofilme de C. albicans foi realizada por diferentes métodos: redução de biofilme de C. albicans em microplaca de 96 orifícios por XTT; redução do número de unidades formadoras de colônia de biofilme por contagem em ágar Sabouraud dextrose com cloranfenicol (SDA); redução de biofilme em corpos de prova de resina acrílica por XTT e redução do número de unidades formadoras de colônia dos corpos de prova por contagem em ágar SDA. Ainda, foi analisada também a influência destas enzimas sobre fatores de virulência, ergosterol de parede e sobre o desenvolvimento e arquitetura do biofilme com a análise por microscopia eletrônica de varredura. As três enzimas foram eficientes nos ensaios de redução de biofilme, sobretudo frente a biofilmes maduros, de 48 horas, reduzindo cerca de 80-90% deste tanto em microplacas como em corpos de prova. Nos ensaios em microplacas, a amilase foi mais ativa dentre as três, em contato de 30 ... / Abstract: The emergence of Candida albicans biofilms as a form of microbial resistance on solid surfaces is a increasing public health problem, since the effective therapeutic options for the few reduction and elimination, mainly due to its high resistance to antifungals. The enzymes produced by microorganisms attract great interest because they represent an option to biotechnology and antifungal mouthwashes available in the market. The aim of this study was to produce, determine the activity, fractionate three different microbial enzymes (protease, amylase and lipase), and to evaluate the effectiveness in reducing biofilm of C. albicans besides the possible mechanisms of action of these enzymes on the biofilm. For enzyme production were used fungal strains submitted the liquid fermentation in bioreactor, accompanied by study of biochemical parameters of each enzyme. The assessment of effectiveness against biofilms of C. albicans was performed by different methods: Evaluation of the ability to reduce biofilm of C. albicans in microplate 96 wells by XTT; Evaluation of the reduction in the number of colony forming units of biofilm by counting in Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol; Evaluation of biofilm reduction capacity of C. albicans in specimens of acrylic resin by XTT and reduction capacity of the number of colony forming units per count Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol. In addition, it is also analyzed the influence of these enzymes on virulence factors and the development of biofilm architecture and by analysis in scanning electron microscopy. The three enzymes were effective in reducing assays well microplate as specimens, especially against mature biofilms, 48 hours. The assays in microplates, amylase was the most active enzyme of the three, in contact of 30 minutes, while the protease was more effective in contact of 60 minutes and the lipase was less active in both periods analyzed. However, in specimens, the enzymes ... / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-25T12:23:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Rennaly de Freitas Lima.pdf: 983863 bytes, checksum: 6587d3f21487e66eddf68ca2165159c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anti-microbial and anti-proliferative potentials of extract and active fractions of Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan (Angico). The anti-microbial evaluation was conducted through Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentration, and biofilm adherence inhibition, as well as a cellular morphology analysis via scanning electron microscope (SEM). To verify the anti-proliferative potential, six tumor cell lines were used. The extract presented severe anti-fungicidal activity against Candida albicans ATCC 18804 (MIC = 0,031 mg/mL), with similar activity in regard to its ethyl acetate fraction. Both the extract and the active fraction also showed the ability to inhibit Candida albicans adherence in biofilm after 48 hours of formation, showing median values equivalent and higher than those of the control group, but without significant statistical difference (p > 0,05). Through the SEM was also observed alterations in the cellular morphology of yeast. With regard to anti-proliferative activity, the extract presented cytostatic potential for all tested lines. In face of these results, it s suggested a strong anti-fungicidal inhibition potential for Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan, as well as a tendency for decreasing the cellular growth of human tumor lineages. / Este estudo objetivou avaliar in vitro o potencial antimicrobiano e antiproliferativo do extrato e frações ativas da Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan (angico), além de caracterizar fitoquimicamente o extrato. A avaliação antimicrobiana foi realizada através da Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM), Concentração Bactericida/Fungicida Mínima e inibição de aderência ao biofilme, além da análise da morfologia celular por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Para a verificação do potencial antiproliferativo, seis linhagens de células tumorais foram utilizadas. O extrato apresentou forte atividade antifúngica contra a Candida albicans ATCC 18804 (CIM = 0,031 mg/mL), sendo observada atividade semelhante para a sua fração de acetato de etila. Em relação à atividade antibacteriana, o extrato da Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan apresentou atividade apenas para Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (CIM = 0,5 mg/mL). O extrato e a fração ativa também demonstraram capacidade de inibir a aderência da Candida albicans em biofilme, após 48 horas de formação, demonstrando valores de mediana equivalentes e maiores que o grupo controle, porém sem diferença estatística significativa (p > 0,05). Observou-se ainda, através da MEV, alterações na morfologia celular da levedura. Em relação à atividade antiproliferativa, o extrato apresentou potencial citostático para todas as linhagens testadas, sendo capaz de diminuir o crescimento celular em uma concentração média de 0,25 mg/mL. Através da caracterização fitoquímica, verificou-se alto teor de polifenóis totais (53,18%). Diante destes resultados, sugere-se forte potencial antifúngico para Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan, além de apresentar tendência à diminuição do crescimento celular para linhagens tumorais humanas.

Throughout existence, fungi and bacteria have long shared ecological niches and thus engage in numerous interactions to mutually enhance survival or antagonistically gain competitive advantages. Of importance to human health are those interactions that involve bacteria with the opportunistic fungi, Candida albicans. An important virulence factor of C. albicans is the ability to control morphology, which allows the transition between yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal phenotypes. Morphological control in C. albicans is governed by quorum sensing and the secreted autoregulatory molecule farnesol. Quorum sensing allows individual cells to sense the environment and respond as a group. Bacteria also use quorum sensing to communicate and control virulence. Despite their abundance in nature, very little is known about the interactions of C. albicans with bacteria on a genetic and molecular level. The objective of our research is to identify the genetic elements involved in C. albicans-bacterial interactions and characterize the genes that may participate in these relationships. To accomplish this, we screened a C. albicans mutant library for the ability to filament in the presence of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, where 3 typically, these three bacterial species inhibit C. albicans filamentation. We identified 836 C. albicans mutants that displayed a filamentous phenotype in the presence of bacteria. Collectively, 295 of these mutants filamented in the presence of all 3 bacterial species. Candidates were subsequently sequenced to identify the location of the mutation and the affected genetic element. CDR4, a putative ABC transporter, and ALS6, a putative adhesion, were further characterized for their specific involvement in Candida-bacterial interactions. Using a filamentation assay, cdr4 and als6 deletion strains demonstrated a decreased response to the inhibitory effects of farnesol, as well as bacterial molecules known to inhibit the production of hyphal-filaments. Additionally, the ability of cdr4 and als6 deletion strains to attach and form biofilms was significantly enhanced even in the presence of farnesol and bacterial inhibitors. The results of this study contribute to the body of knowledge involving polymicrobial interactions and these findings may lead to new antifungal targets for therapeutic interventions.

Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen that infects humans. The research described in this thesis focuses on an in-depth characterization of the regulatory pathways controlling white-opaque switching, mating and biofilm formation, and the relationships among these programs in this pathogen. It was demonstrated in 2006 that minority opaque cells of C. albicans release pheromone to signal majority white cells of the opposite mating type to form enhanced biofilms. The white cell biofilms in turn facilitate opaque cell chemotropism, an essential step in mating. The white cell response is a general characteristic of C. albicans, occurring in all tested strains and in all common lab media. By generation of deletion mutants of select genes in the opaque cell mating pathway, it was demonstrated that the pathway regulating the white cell response shares all of the components of the opaque mating pathway, from the pheromone receptor through the MAP kinase cascade with the exception of the downstream transcription factor. In addition, it was demonstrated that a C. albicans-specific region in the first intracellular loop, IC1, of the α-pheromone receptor is required for the white, but not the opaque, pheromone response. Furthermore, the cis-acting element in the promoters of genes induced by pheromone in white cells was identified. The white-specific pheromone response element, WPRE, is important for the regulation of the white pheromone response and induction of white-specific genes by pheromone. Finally, based on a misexpression library screening of transcription factors previously implicated in adhesion, cell wall biogenesis, filamentation or biofilm formation, the transcription factor Tec1 was identified to be the key regulator in the white pheromone response pathway. Tec1 binds to the WPRE in the promoters of genes induced by pheromone in white cells to mediate the white cell response. The white pheromone response pathway appears to be a relatively young pathway that borrowed the upstream components from the opaque mating pathway, the transcription factor from the ancestral filamentation pathway, and the downstream genes from the pathway regulating biofilm formation in a/α cells of C. albicans. Therefore, the configuration of the white response pathway provides a unique glimpse and possibly a paradigm for the evolution of signal transduction pathways in eukaryotes.

Orientador: Carlos Eduardo Vergani / Resumo: Há diversas possibilidades para o controle microbiano, dentre elas, o uso de microcristais associados à prata (Ag), e a inativação fotodinâmica antimicrobiana (do inglês, aPDI). Devido à capacidade de fotoexcitação no comprimento de onda de luz azul, fosfato de prata (Ag3PO4) foi submetido à exposição a luz em 455nm. Este trabalho teve como objetivo sintetizar, caracterizar e verificar a capacidade fotocatalítica e antimicrobiana dos microcristais de Ag3PO4, utilizando culturas de C. albicans em suspensão e biofilme, na presença e ausência de luz. Os microcristais foram sintetizados pelo método da co-precipitação, e foram determinados o "gap" de energia e o espectro de absorção do material através de análise de espectro de UVVIS. Para caracterizar Ag3PO4, realizou-se a difração de raios-X (DRX), microscopia eletrônica de varredura por emissão de campo (MEV-EC) e atividade fotocatalítica (degradação de rodamina) após 4 exposições à luz. Para os ensaios microbiológicos (UFC/mL), determinou-se a concentração fungicida mínima (CFM) em suspensão e biofilme, na ausência e presença de luz (55,8 J/cm²). Para análise dos resultados, aplicou-se o teste de análise de variância de dois fatores, com teste posterior de Tukey. Os resultados demonstraram que o espectro de absorção abrange a faixa azul do comprimento de onda, apesar do maior sinal estar localizado na região de luz UV. Nos espectros de DRX observou-se a produção de prata cúbica e hexagonal no decorrer das exposições, juntament... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: There are several possibilities for microbial control, among them the use of microcrystals associated with silver (Ag), and antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI). Due to the ability of photoexcitation in the blue light wavelength, silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) was subjected to light exposure at 455nm. Thus, the aim was to synthesize, characterize and verify the photocatalytic and antimicrobial capacity of Ag3PO4 microcrystals using cultures of C. albicans in planktonic and biofilm form, in the presence and absence of light. Microcrystals were synthesized by the coprecipitation method, the energy band gap and the absorption spectrum of the material were determined by UV-VIS spectrum analysis. To characterize Ag3PO4, Xray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and photocatalytic activity (rhodamine degradation) were performed after 4 exposures to light. For the microbiological tests (CFU/mL), the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) in planktonic and biofilm was determined, in the absence and presence of light (55.8 J/cm²). To analyze the results, a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied, followed by Tukey post-test. The results showed the absorption spectrum covers the blue wavelength range, although the largest peak is located in the UV light region. The XRD spectra produced cubic and hexagonal silver during the exposures, with an increase of amorphous material. The microcrystal size was observed (0.12 μm) by FE-SEM images, wi... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Der Hefepilz Candida albicans gehört zu den opportunistischen Infektionserregern. Er ist Teil der natürlichen Mikroflora der Schleimhäute des Gastrointestinal- und Urogenitaltraktes des Menschen. Bei Störungen des natürlichen Gleichgewichts dieser Flora kann es zu oberflächlichen Mykosen, z. B. der oropharyngealen Candidiasis (Mundsoor), kommen. Besonders immunsupprimierte Patienten, wie AIDS-Patienten, leiden häufig unter immer wiederkehrenden Infektionen, die mitunter auch zu schwerwiegenden Infektionsverläufen, bis hin zu lebensbedrohlichen systemischen Mykosen führen können. Zur Therapie solcher Erkrankungen werden oft Ergosterolbiosyntheseinhibitoren, wie Fluconazol, eingesetzt. Besonders bei wiederkehrenden Infektionen und wiederholender Therapie ist C. albicans in der Lage, gegen diese häufig verabreichten Antimykotika Resistenzen zu entwickeln. Hierbei spielen Zink-Cluster-Transkriptionsfaktoren eine zentrale Rolle. Zink-Cluster-Proteine gehören zu einer pilzspezifischen Familie von Transkriptionsfaktoren, die ein großes Spektrum an zellulären Prozessen regulieren. Die gut charakterisierten Regulatoren Upc2, Tac1 und Mrr1 gehören zu den Zink-Cluster-Transkriptionsfaktoren, die maßgeblich zur Resistenzentwicklung von C. albicans beitragen. Upc2 kontrolliert die Expression vieler Ergosterolbiosynthesegene, besonders die von ERG11, welches für die Zielstruktur des gängigen Antimykotikums Fluconazol kodiert. Tac1 und Mrr1 hingegen regulieren die Expression von Multidrug-Effluxpumpen, den ABC-Transportern CDR1 und CDR2 bzw. dem Major Facilitator MDR1. Gain-of-function-Mutationen in diesen Transkriptionsfaktoren resultieren in einer konstitutiven Überexpression ihrer Zielgene und sind verantwortlich für die Resistenz vieler klinischer Isolate. In dieser Arbeit wurde gezeigt, dass die Fusion von Mrr1 mit der Gal4-Aktivierungsdomäne von Saccharomyces cerevisiae zu einem konstitutiv aktiven Hybridtranskriptionsfaktor führte, der eine MDR1-Überexpression bewirkte und Fluconazolresistenz vermittelte. Dieses Hybridprotein vermittelte sogar eine höhere Resistenz als ein Mrr1 mit natürlich vorkommenden gain-of-function-Mutationen. Analoge Fusionen mit Tac1 und Upc2 resultierten ebenfalls in einer konstitutiven Aktivierung dieser Transkriptionsfaktoren, die einen starken Anstieg der Fluconazolresistenz zur Folge hatte. Daraus ergab sich die Schlussfolgerung, dass dies eine generelle Methode sein könnte, die Zink-Cluster-Transkriptionsfaktoren künstlich zu aktivieren und so ihre biologischen Funktionen zu offenbaren, ohne die genauen Bedingungen für ihre Aktivität zu kennen. Deshalb wurde auf der Basis dieser Strategie eine Bibliothek von C.-albicans-Stämmen konstruiert, in der alle 82 putativen Zink-Cluster-Transkriptionsfaktoren in dieser möglicherweise hyperaktiven Form exprimiert werden. Untersuchungen dieser Bibliothek offenbarten neue Transkriptionsfaktoren, die Fluconazolresistenz vermittelten, aber auch noch unbekannte Regulatoren der Morphogenese und andere Phänotypen konnten beobachtet werden. Um einen tieferen Einblick in die Funktionsweise zu bekommen, wurden die Transkriptionsprofile der vier Transkriptionsfaktoren ermittelt, die in ihrer hyperaktiven Form die höchste Fluconazolresistenz bewirkten. Dabei stellte sich heraus, dass die zwei künstlich aktivierten (*) Regulatoren ZCF34* und ZNC1* die Expression der wichtigsten Multidrug-Effluxpumpe CDR1 stark hochregulierten. Der Transkriptionsfaktor mit dem vorläufigen Namen ZCF34 konnte im Verlauf dieser Arbeit als ein wichtiger Regulator für die CDR1-Expression identifiziert werden. Er ist sowohl an der Aktivierung der Expression von CDR1 beteiligt als auch für die basale CDR1-Promotoraktivität notwendig. Aus diesem Grund wurde er in MRR2 (multidrug resistance regulator 2) umbenannt. Mit der Entdeckung eines neuen Regulators der wichtigsten Multidrug-Effluxpumpe von C. albicans wurde ein wichtiger Beitrag zum Verständnis der Regulation solcher Transporter geleistet. Die Überexpression dieser Pumpen ist einer der häufigsten Resistenzmechanismen in C. albicans. Auf diesem Wege kann Resistenz gegen strukturell völlig unterschiedliche Antimykotika bewirkt werden. Somit stellen sowohl diese Effluxpumpen, als auch deren Regulatoren mögliche Angriffsziele für die Entwicklung neuer oder Weiterentwicklung bereits vorhandener Antimykotika dar. / The yeast Candida albicans is an oppotunistic fungal pathogen, usually a harmless colonizer of mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal und urogenital tract of healthy people. If the balance of this microflora is disturbed, it can cause superficial mycoses, like oropharyngeal candidiasis. Especially immunocompromised patients, like AIDS patients suffer from recurrent infections, occasionally causing life-threatening systemic infections. The antifungal agent fluconazole, which inhibits ergosterol biosynthesis, is frequently used to treat Candida-infections. Particularly during long term treatments of recurrent infections, C. albicans can develop resistance to the commonly used antifungal drugs. Zinc cluster transcription factors often play key roles in the development of such resistances. The zinc cluster proteins are a fungus-specific family of transcription factors that regulate a variety of cellular processes. The well characterized regulators Upc2, Tac1 und Mrr1 are among these zinc cluster transcription factors, being significantly involved in mediating drug resistance. Upc2 controls the expression of ergosterol biosynthesis genes, e. g. of ERG11, encoding the target enzyme of fluconazole. Tac1 and Mrr1 regulate the expression of multidrug efflux pumps, the ABC transporters CDR1 and CDR2 and the major facilitator MDR1, respectively. Gain-of-function mutations in these transcription factors result in constitutive overexpression of their target genes and are responsible for drug resistance in many clinical C. albicans strains. In this thesis it could be shown that fusion of the full-length Mrr1 with the Gal4 activation domain from Saccharomyces cerevisiae produced a constitutively active hybrid transcription factor that mediated MDR1 overexpression and increased drug resistance. The hybrid transcription factor exhibited even higher activity than Mrr1 with a naturally occurring gain-of-function mutation. Analogous fusions with Tac1 and Upc2 also resulted in constitutively activated transcription factors that conferred strongly increased drug resistance, suggesting that this might be a generally applicable approach for the artificial activation of zinc cluster transcription factors, which could reveal their biological function without prior knowledge about inducing conditions. Therfore a library of C. albicans strains expressing all 82 predicted zinc cluster transcription factors of this pathogen was constructed, by using this strategy, resulting in strains with potentially hyperactive regulators. Screening of this comprehensive set of strains revealed novel transcription factors mediating drug resistance, but also previously unknown regulators of morphogenesis and other phenotypes. To gain insight into their mechanism of action, transcriptional profiles were determined of the four transcription factors that produced the strongest increase in fluconazole resistance when expressed in a hyperactive form. This analysis revealed that two out of these four artificially activated (*) transcription factors, ZCF34* and ZNC1*, strongly upregulate the expression of the most important multidrug efflux pump CDR1, which could be verified by Northern hybridization. The transcription factor previously named ZCF34 could be identified as a new and important regulator of CDR1, being involved in the activation of CDR1 expression as well as in basal promoter activity of this pump. Therefore it was renamed MRR2 (multidrug resistance regulator 2). The identification of MRR2 as a new regulator of the most important multidrug efflux pump in C. albicans represents a major step forward in understanding the regulation of such transporters. The overexpression of these efflux pumps is one of the most common resistance mechanism in C. albicans, conferring resistance to many structurally and functionally unrelated toxic compounds. Therefore these transporters, as well as their regulators, provide potential tagets of new or further developed antifungal agents.

Nitrogen-regulated pathogenesis describes the expression of virulence attributes as direct response to the quantity and quality of an available nitrogen source. As consequence of nitrogen availability, the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans changes its morphology and secretes aspartic proteases [SAPs], both well characterized virulence attributes. C. albicans, contrarily to its normally non-pathogenic relative Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is able to utilize proteins, which are considered as abundant and important nitrogen source within the human host. To assimilate complex proteinaceous matter, extracellular proteolysis is followed by uptake of the degradation products through dedicated peptide transporters (di-/tripeptide transporters [PTRs] and oligopeptide transporters [OPTs]). The expression of both traits is transcriptionally controlled by Stp1 - the global regulator of protein utilization - in C. albicans. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the regulation of virulence attributes of the pathogenic fungus C. albicans by nitrogen availability in more detail. Within a genome wide binding profile of Stp1, during growth with proteins, more than 600 Stp1 target genes were identified, thereby confirming its role in the usage of proteins, but also other nitrogenous compounds as nitrogen source. Moreover, the revealed targets suggest an involvement of Stp1 in the general adaption to nutrient availability as well as in the environmental stress response. With the focus on protein utilization and nitrogen-regulated pathogenesis, the regulation of the major secreted aspartic protease Sap2 - additionally one of the prime examples of allelic heterogeneity in C. albicans - was investigated in detail. Thereby, the heterogezygous SAP2 promoter helped to identify an unintended genomic alteration as the true cause of a growth defect of a C. albicans mutant. Additionally, the promoter region, which was responsible for the differential activation of the SAP2 alleles, was delimited. Furthermore, general Sap2 induction was demonstrated to be mediated by distinct cis-acting elements that are required for a high or a low activity of SAP2 expression. For the utilization of proteins as nitrogen source it is also crucial to take up the peptides that are produced by extracellular proteolysis. Therefore, the function and importance of specific peptide transporters was investigated in C. albicans mutants, unable to use peptides as nitrogen source (opt1Δ/Δ opt2Δ/Δ opt3Δ/Δ opt4Δ/Δ opt5Δ/Δ ptr2Δ/Δ ptr22Δ/Δ septuple null mutants). The overexpression of individual transporters in these mutants revealed differential substrate specificities and expanded the specificity of the OPTs to dipeptides, a completely new facet of these transporters. The peptide-uptake deficient mutants were further used to elucidate, whether indeed proteins and peptides are an important in vivo nitrogen source for C. albicans. It was found that during competitive colonization of the mouse intestine these mutants exhibited wild-type fitness, indicating that neither proteins nor peptides are primary nitrogen sources required to efficiently support growth of C. albicans in the mouse gut. Adequate availability of the preferred nitrogen source ammonium represses the utilization of proteins and other alternative nitrogen sources, but also the expression of virulence attributes, like Sap secretion and nitrogen-starvation induced filamentation. In order to discriminate, whether ammonium availability is externally sensed or determined inside the cell by C. albicans, the response to exterior ammonium concentrations of ammonium-uptake deficient mutants (mep1Δ/Δ mep2Δ/Δ null mutants) was investigated. This study showed that presence of an otherwise suppressing ammonium concentration did not inhibit Sap2 proteases secretion and arginine-induced filamentation in these mutants. Conclusively, ammonium availability is primarily determined inside the cell in order to control the expression of virulence traits. In sum, the present work contributes to the current understanding of how C. albicans regulates expression of virulence-associated traits in response to the presence of available nitrogen sources - especially proteins and peptides - in order to adapt its lifestyle within a human host. / Stickstoffregulierte Pathogenität bezeichnet die Kontrolle von Virulenz-assoziierten Eigenschaften als direkte Folge der verfügbaren Quantität und Qualität einer Stickstoffquelle. Im Zusammenhang mit der Stickstoffverfügbarkeit verändert der opportunistisch krankheitserregende Pilz Candida albicans seine Morphologie und sekretiert Aspartat-Proteasen [SAPs], beides gut charakterisierte Virulenzattribute. Im Gegensatz zu seinem normalerweise apathogenen Verwandten Saccharomyces cerevisiae ist C. albicans in der Lage Proteine zu verwerten, welche als sehr häufige und wichtige Stickstoffquelle im menschlichen Wirt angesehen werden. Zur Nutzung von Proteinen sekretiert C. albicans Aspartat-Proteasen für den außerzellulären Verdau der Proteine und exprimiert Peptidtransporter (Di- /Tripeptidtransporter [PTRs] und Oligopeptidtransporter [OPTs]) um die Abbauprodukte aufzunehmen. Beide Eigenschaften werden transkriptionell von Stp1 - dem globalen Regulator zur Verwertung von Proteinen - kontrolliert. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, die Regulation von Virulenzattributen im pathogenen Pilz C. albicans durch die Verfügbarkeit von Stickstoff genauer zu untersuchen. Innerhalb einer genomweiten Bindestudie von Stp1 wurden mehr als 600 Stp1-Zielgene während des Wachstums mit Proteinen identifiziert. Dadurch bestätigte sich die Funktion von Stp1 in der Proteinverwertung und wurde zudem auch auf die allgemeine Verwertung von Stickstoffquellen erweitert. Des Weiteren deuten die aufgedeckten Zielgene an, dass Stp1 womöglich in der Adaption an die generelle Nährstoffverfügbarkeit sowie in der Antwort auf Stresssignale beteiligt ist. Mit dem Fokus auf die Proteinverwertung und stickstoffregulierter Pathogenität wurde die Regulation der wichtigsten sekretierten Protease Sap2 - welche außerdem ein Paradebeispiel für allelische Heterogenität ist - im Detail untersucht. Dabei half der heterogene SAP2-Promoter bei der Identifizierung einer unbeabsichtigten genomischen Veränderung als wahren Grund eines Wachstumsdefektes einer C. albicans Mutante. Zusätzlich wurde der Promotorbereich eingegrenzt, welcher für die unterschiedliche Aktivierung der beiden SAP2 Allele verantwortlich ist. Weiterhin wurden verschiedene cis-aktive Elemente identifiziert, die entweder für eine hohe oder eine niedrige SAP2 Expression benötigt werden. Die Aufnahme von Peptiden, die durch den außerzellulären Verdau entstehen, ist für die Verwertung von Proteinen ebenso wichtig. Deshalb wurde die Funktion und Bedeutung der spezifischen Peptidtransporter anhand von C. albicans Mutanten untersucht, welche Peptide nicht aufnehmen können (opt1Δ/Δ opt2Δ/Δ opt3Δ/Δ opt4Δ/Δ opt5Δ/Δ ptr2Δ/Δ ptr22Δ/Δ Septuplemutanten). Die Überexpression von individuellen Transportern in diesen Septuplemutanten offenbarte unterschiedliche Substratspezifitäten und erweiterte die Spezifität für die OPTs auf Dipeptide, eine komplett neue Facette dieser Transporter. Des Weiteren ermöglichten die Septuplemutanten eine Aufklärung, ob Proteine und Peptide tatsächlich eine wichtige In Vivo Stickstoffquelle für C. albicans sind. Dieses Arbeit zeigte, dass während der kompetitiven Kolonisierung des Mäusedarms die Septuplemutanten wildtypische Fitness aufwiesen. Dies deutet daraufhin, dass weder Proteine noch Peptide eine wichtige Stickstoffquelle für ein effizientes Wachstum in diesem In Vivo Model sind. Die ausreichende Verfügbarkeit der bevorzugten Stickstoffquelle Ammonium unterdrückt die Verwertung von Proteinen und anderen alternativen Stickstoffquellen. Aber auch die Expression von Virulenzattributen, wie die Proteasesekretion und die stickstoffmangel-induzierte Filamentierung, wird durch Ammonium inhibiert. Um zu unterscheiden, ob C. albicans die Ammoniumverfügbarkeit außerzellulär oder in der Zelle bestimmt, wurde das Verhalten auf außerzelluläre Ammoniumkonzentrationen in Mutanten untersucht, welche Ammonium nicht aufnehmen können (mep1Δ/Δ mep2Δ/Δ Mutanten). Diese Arbeit zeigte, dass in diesen Mutanten eine ansonsten inhibierende Ammoniumkonzentration nicht in der Lage war, die Sekretion der Sap2-Protease oder die Arginin-induzierte Hyphenbildung zu unterdrücken. Folglich wird, um die Expression von Virulenzattributen zu regulieren, die Ammoniumverfügbarkeit vorrangig in der Zelle bestimmt. Zusammenfassend erweitert die vorliegende Arbeit das Verständnis zur Regulation der Expression von Virulenzattributen durch die Verfügbarkeit von Stickstoffquellen - insbesondere Proteine und Peptide - die eine Anpassung von C. albicans an ein Leben im menschlichen Wirt ermöglichen.

The number of fungal infections is rising in Germany and worldwide. These infections are mainly caused by the opportunistic fungal pathogen C. albicans, which especially harms immunocompromised people. With increasing numbers of fungal infections, more frequent and longer lasting treatments are necessary and lead to an increase of drug resistances, for example against the clinically applied therapeutic fluconazole. Drug resistance in C. albicans can be mediated by the Multidrug resistance pump 1 (Mdr1), a membrane transporter belonging to the major facilitator family. However, Mdr1-mediated fluconazole drug resistance is caused by the pump’s regulator, the transcription factor Mrr1 (Multidrug resistance regulator 1). It was shown that Mrr1 is hyperactive without stimulation or further activation in resistant strains which is due to so called gain of function mutations in the MRR1 gene. To understand the mechanism that lays behind this constitutive activity of Mrr1, the transcription factor should be structurally and functionally (in vitro) characterized which could provide a basis for successful drug development to target Mdr1-mediated drug resistance caused by Mrr1. Therefore, the entire 1108 amino acid protein was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. However, further purification was compromised as the protein tended to form aggregates, unsuitable for crystallization trials or further characterization experiments. Expression trials in the eukaryote Pichia pastoris neither yielded full length nor truncated Mrr1 protein. In order to overcome the aggregation problem, a shortened variant, missing the N-terminal 249 amino acids named Mrr1 ‘250’, was successfully expressed in E. coli and could be purified without aggregation. Similar to the wild type Mrr1 ‘250’, selected gain of function variants were successfully cloned, expressed and purified with varying yields and with varying purity. The Mrr1 `250’ construct contains most of the described regulatory domains of Mrr1. It was used for crystallization and an initial comparative analysis between the wild type protein and the variants. The proposed dimeric form of the transcription factor, necessary for DNA binding, could be verified for both, the wild type and the mutant proteins. Secondary structure analysis by circular dichroism measurements revealed no significant differences in the overall fold of the wild type and variant proteins. In vitro, the gain of function variants seem to be less stable compared to the wild type protein, as they were more prone to degradation. Whether this observation holds true for the full length protein’s stability in vitro and in vivo remains to be determined. The crystallization experiments, performed with the Mrr1 ‘250’ constructs, led to few small needle shaped or cubic crystals, which did not diffract very well and were hardly reproducible. Therefore no structural information of the transcription factor could be gained so far. Infections with M. tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, are the leading cause of mortality among bacterial diseases. Especially long treatment times, an increasing number of resistant strains and the prevalence of for decades persisting bacteria create the necessity for new drugs against this disease. The cholesterol import and metabolism pathways were discovered as promising new targets and interestingly they seem to play an important role for the chronic stage of the tuberculosis infection and for persisting bacteria. In this thesis, the 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase FadA5 from M. tuberculosis was characterized and the potential for specifically targeting this enzyme was investigated. FadA5 catalyzes the last step of the β-oxidation reaction in the side-chain degradation pathway of cholesterol. We solved the three dimensional structure of this enzyme by X-ray crystallography and obtained two different apo structures and three structures in complex with acetyl-CoA, CoA and a hydrolyzed steroid-CoA, which is the natural product of FadA5. Analysis of the FadA5 apo structures revealed a typical thiolase fold as it is common for biosynthetic and degradative enzymes of this class for one of the structures. The second apo structure showed deviations from the typical thiolase fold. All obtained structures show the enzyme as a dimer, which is consistent with the observed dimer formation in solution. Thus the dimer is likely to be the catalytically active form of the enzyme. Besides the characteristic structural fold, the catalytic triad, comprising two cysteines and one histidine, as well as the typical coenzyme A binding site of enzymes belonging to the thiolase class could be identified. The two obtained apo structures differed significantly from each other. One apo structure is in agreement with the characteristic thiolase fold and the well-known dimer interface could be identified in our structure. The same characteristics were observed in all complex structures. In contrast, the second apo structure followed the thiolase fold only partially. One subdomain, spanning 30 amino acids, was in a different orientation. This reorientation was caused by the formation of two disulfide bonds, including the active site cysteines, which rendered the enzyme inactive. The disulfide bonds together with the resulting domain swap still permitted dimer formation, yet with a significantly shifted dimer interface. The comparison of the apo structures together with the preliminary activity analysis performed by our collaborator suggest, that FadA5 can be inactivated by oxidation and reactivated by reduction. If this redox switch is of biological importance requires further evaluation, however, this would be the first reported example of a bacterial thiolase employing redox regulation. Our obtained complex structures represent different stages of the thiolase reaction cycle. In some complex structures, FadA5 was found to be acetylated at the catalytic cysteine and it was in complex with acetyl-CoA or CoA. These structures, together with the FadA5 structure in complex with a hydrolyzed steroid-CoA, revealed important insights into enzyme dynamics upon ligand binding and release. The steroid-bound structure is as yet a unique example of a thiolase enzyme interacting with a complex ligand. The characterized enzyme was used as platform for modeling studies and for comparison with human thiolases. These studies permitted initial conclusions regarding the specific targetability of FadA5 as a drug target against M. tuberculosis infection, taking the closely related human enzymes into account. Additional analyses led to the proposal of a specific lead compound based on the steroid and ligand interactions within the active site of FadA5. / Die Zahl der Pilzinfektionen, welche hauptsächlich durch den opportunistisch-pathogenen Pilz C. albicans verursacht werden, ist nicht nur in Deutschland, sondern weltweit steigend. Die auftretenden Infektionen betreffen vor allem immunsupprimierte Personen. Dieser Anstieg an Pilzinfektionen verursacht häufigere und immer länger andauernde Behandlungen und resultiert auch im vermehrten Auftreten von Resistenzen gegen Antimykotika, unter anderem gegen das klinisch eingesetzte Fluconazol. Eine Möglichkeit der Resistenzbildung in C. albicans ist die Expression der ‚Multidrug resistance pump 1‘ (Mdr1), einer Membranpumpe, die zur Major-Facilitator-Superfamilie zählt. Diese durch Mdr1-vermittelte Fluconazolresistenz wird durch den Mdr1 regulierenden Transkriptionsfaktor Mrr1 (‚Multidrug resistance regulator 1‘) gesteuert. In resistenten C. albicans Stämmen befindet sich Mrr1 ohne weitere Stimulation oder externe Aktivierung bereits in einem hyperaktiven Zustand, der durch Mutationen mit Funktionsgewinn im MRR1 Gen verursacht wird. Um die Mechanismen, die sich hinter der konstitutiven Aktivität von Mrr1 verbergen, zu entschlüsseln, sollte dieser Transkriptionsfaktor in vitro strukturell und funktionell charakterisiert werden. Diese Charakterisierung könnte im Anschluss genutzt werden, um Wirkstoffe gegen die von Mrr1 gesteuerte und von Mdr1-vermittelte Resistenz zu entwickeln. Zu diesem Zweck, wurde das gesamte, 1108 Aminosäuren umfassende, Protein in Escherichia coli exprimiert. Die anschließende Proteinreinigung war allerdings durch Aggregatbildung beeinträchtigt, welche Kristallisationsansätze oder eine weitere Charakterisierung dieses Proteinkonstruktes verhinderten. Im Eukaryot Pichia pastoris durchgeführte Expressionsanalysen, waren leider erfolglos und weder die Expression des Volllängen-Mrr1 noch seiner verkürzten Proteinvarianten konnte nachgewiesen werden. Um Proteinaggregation zu umgehen, wurde deshalb ein N-terminal, um 249 Aminosäuren, verkürztes Proteinkonstrukt, Mrr1 ‚250‘, in E. coli exprimiert und erfolgreich, ohne Aggregation, gereinigt. Zusätzlich zum wildtypischen Mrr1 ‚250‘ Protein wurden auch ausgewählte Varianten kloniert, exprimiert und gereinigt, allerdings mit unterschiedlicher Ausbeute und Reinheit. Da das verkürzte Mrr1 ‚250‘ Protein noch immer fast alle in der Literatur beschriebenen Regulierungsdomänen besitzt, wurde es zur Kristallisation und für einen initialen Vergleich zwischen Wildtyp und Varianten genutzt. So konnte zum Beispiel die vermutete Dimerisierung des Transkriptionsfaktors sowohl für das Wildtypprotein als auch für die Varianten gezeigt werden. Eine weiterführende Untersuchung der Sekundärstruktur mittels zirkular Dichroismus Messungen zeigte keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den Mutanten und dem Wildtypprotein. Allerdings erscheinen die Funktionsgewinn Varianten von Mrr1 in vitro instabiler als das Wildtypprotein, was sich durch stärkeren Abbau der Variantenproteine zeigt. Ob diese Beobachtungen allerdings vom verkürzten Protein auf das Gesamtprotein und dessen in vitro und in vivo Stabilität übertragbar sind, ist derzeit noch unklar. Kristallisationsansätze, die mit den verschiedenen Varianten des Mrr1 ‚250‘ Konstrukts durchgeführt wurden, führten zu sehr wenigen, nadelförmigen oder kubischen Kristallen, die kaum reproduzierbar waren und schlecht diffraktierten. Bisher konnten deshalb keine strukturellen Daten für den untersuchten Transkriptionsfaktor erhalten werden. Noch immer sind Infektionen, die durch M. tuberculosis, dem Erreger der Tuberkulose, verursacht werden die Haupttodesursache im Bereich der bakteriellen Infektionen. In diesem Zusammenhang stellen vor allem lange Behandlungszeiten, das vermehrte Auftreten resistenter Stämme und das Vorkommen persistierender Bakterien, die Jahrzehnte in ihrem Wirt überdauern können, nach wie vor große Herausforderungen dar und die Entwicklung neuer Tuberkulosemedikamente ist dringend erforderlich. Sowohl der Cholesterinimport als auch dessen Stoffwechselweg wurden als vielversprechende Wirkstoffziele identifiziert. Nicht zuletzt, da beide Mechanismen eine wichtige Rolle während der chronischen Phase der Tuberkuloseinfektion und für persistierende Bakterien zu spielen scheinen. Im Laufe dieser Arbeit wurde die 3-ketoacyl-CoA Thiolase FadA5 aus M. tuberculosis strukturell charakterisiert und auf ihre Tauglichkeit als spezifisches Wirkstoffziel hin untersucht. FadA5 katalysiert den letzten Schritt der β-Oxidation im Zuge des Seitenkettenabbaus von Cholesterin. Wir konnten die Proteinstruktur des FadA5 Proteins mittels Röntgenkristallographie ermitteln und erhielten zwei unterschiedliche apo-Strukturen sowie drei Komplexstrukturen. In den Komplexstrukturen waren entweder Acetyl-CoA, CoA oder ein hydrolisiertes Steroid-CoA, welches das natürliche Produkt von FadA5 darstellt, an das Enzym gebunden. Die Strukturanalyse der apo-Strukturen lies für eine der beiden Modelle die typische Thiolasefaltung erkennen, welche für biosynthetische und degradative Enzyme dieser Klasse üblich ist. In der zweiten apo-Struktur konnte diese Faltung nur teilweise identifiziert werden. Das Protein liegt in allen erhaltenen Strukturen als Dimer vor, was auch in Lösung beobachtet werden konnte und darauf hinweist, dass das Dimer die katalytisch aktive Form des Proteins darstellt. Neben der charakteristischen Faltung, wurde das aktive Zentrum, bestehend aus zwei Cysteinen und einem Histidin, sowie die für Thiolasen übliche Coenzym A Bindetasche identifiziert. Die erhaltenen apo-Strukturen unterschieden sich deutlich voneinander. Die zuvor beschriebene typische Dimer-Interaktionsfläche wird auch in den Komplexstrukturen beobachtet. Dahingegen war die Thiolasefaltung in der zweiten Apo-Struktur nur teilweise vorhanden, da beispielsweise eine Domäne, die 30 Aminosäuren umfasst, umorientiert vorlag. Die Bildung zweier Disulfidbrücken, welche beide katalytischen Cysteine involviert, verursachte die beschriebene Umorientierung und damit gepaart eine wahrscheinliche Inaktivität des Enzyms. Trotz der beschriebenen Umorientierung und Disulfidbrückenbildung liegt das Protein noch immer als Dimer vor, allerdings mit einer deutlich verschobenen Interaktionsfläche. Der Vergleich der beiden apo-Strukturen in Kombination mit einer vorläufigen Aktivitätsanalyse, die von unseren Kollaborationspartnern durchgeführt wurde, lassen vermuten, dass FadA5 durch Oxidation inaktiviert und durch Reduktion reaktiviert werden kann. Ob diese Redoxregulierung biologisch relevant ist, muss noch geklärt werden, allerdings wäre dies der erste beschriebene Fall einer redoxregulierten bakteriellen Thiolase. Die Komplexstrukturen stellen verschiedene Stufen der Thiolasereaktion dar. In einigen dieser Strukturen lag FadA5 am katalytischen Cystein acetyliert vor und befand sich im Komplex mit acetyl-CoA oder CoA. Durch eine weitere Struktur, in der FadA5 im Komplex mit einem hydrolisierten Steroid-CoA vorlag, konnten wichtige Einblicke in die Enzymdynamik während der Ligandenbindung und Freisetzung gewonnen werden. Die Steroid gebundene Struktur stellt derzeit ein einzigartiges Beispiel einer Thiolase im Komplex mit einem großen, mehrere Ringsysteme umfassenden Liganden dar. Das charakterisierte Enzym diente als Ausgangspunkt für Modellierungsversuche und Vergleiche mit humanen Thiolasen. Diese Analysen erlaubten initiale Schlussfolgerungen bezüglich einer Verwendung von FadA5 als spezifisches Wirkstoffziel gegen Tuberkuloseinfektionen, im Kontext verwandter humaner Enzyme. Zusätzliche Untersuchungen ermöglichten die Ausarbeitung einer spezifischen Leitsubstanz, die auf den analysierten Interaktionen zwischen dem aktiven Zentrum von FadA5 und den gebundenen Liganden basiert.

Orientador: Marlise Inêz Klein / Resumo: A cárie dentária é um problema de saúde pública mundial causada por uma interação entre dieta rica em açúcar e microrganismos em biofilmes dentais. Abordagens para controlar esses microrganismos em biofilmes são necessárias. Portanto, o objetivo foi avaliar potencial antimicrobiano (cultura planctônica) e antibiofilme de doze extratos de Casearia Sylvestris (0,50 mg/mL) de diferentes biomas brasileiros (Mata Atlântica, Cerrado, Caatinga, Pampa e Pantanal) e variedades (sylvestris, lingua e intermediária) contra duas espécies encontradas em biofilmes cariogênicos (Streptococcus mutans e Candida albicans). A caracterização química dos extratos brutos foi feita via cromatografia. A atividade antimicrobiana foi determinada pela população microbiana (UFC/mL) enquanto a atividade antibiofilme pela população microbiana (UFC/mL) e biomassa dos biofilmes tratados. Para os extratos ativos para S. mutans, foi avaliado o efeito na formação inicial da matriz de glucanos (atividade de GtfB), o desprendimento após a adesão desta bactéria à película salivar e à matriz inicial de glucanos e citotoxicicidade via ensaio MTT. Também foi avaliado o potencial antimicrobiano contra S. mutans de três frações (metanol, acetato de etila e hexano; 0,25 mg/mL) oriundas dos doze extratos. Três extratos do bioma Mata Atlântica e variedade sylvestris reduziram em >50% (ou >3 logs) as contagens de células viáveis de S. mutans (vs. veículo; p <0,0001), enquanto dois extratos, pertencentes ao mesmo bioma e va... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Dental caries is a worldwide public health problem caused by an interaction between a diet rich in sugar and microorganisms in dental biofilms. Approaches to control these microorganisms in biofilms are necessary. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial (planktonic) and antibiofilm potential of twelve Casearia sylvestris extracts (0.50 mg/mL) from different Brazilian biomes (Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga, Pampa and Pantanal) and variety (sylvestris, lingua and intermediate) against two species found in cariogenic biofilms (Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans). The chemical characterization of crude extracts was done via chromatography. The antimicrobial activity was determined by the viable microbial population (CFU/mL) and the antibiofilm activity by the viable microbial population (CFU/mL) and biomass of the biofilms treated. For the extracts active for S. mutans, the effect on the initial formation of the glucan matrix (GtfB activity), the release after adhesion of this bacterium to the salivary film and the initial matrix of glucans and cytotoxicity via the MTT assay was evaluated. In addition, the antimicrobial potential against S. mutans of three fractions (methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane, 0.25 mg/mL) from the twelve extracts was also evaluated. Three extracts of the Atlantic Forest biome and sylvestris variety reduced the counts of viable S. mutans cells (vs. vehicle, p <0.0001) by >50% (or >3 logs), while two extracts bel... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus exhibiting either a budding yeast or hyphal phase. A shift from the yeast phase to the hyphal phase can generally be induced by increasing the temperature of incubation from 25°C to 37°C. This shift occurs over a four hour period as approximately 90% of the yeast cells form germ tubes during this time.Interestingly, the specific activity of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase increases during the shift in vegetative cell types and begins to decrease after the 4 hour period. Utilizing the protein synthesis inhibitor tricodermin, we have demonstrated that the increase in specific activity requires de novo protein synthesis.SAM synthetase was characterized (in vitro) by kinetic analysis and response to putative inhibitors. The yeast phase enzyme had an apparent Km of 0.17 mM for methionine, 0.14 mM for ATP and is inhibited by dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO), methionine sulfone and methionine sulfoxide. The hyphal phase enzyme has an apparent Km of 0.06 mM for methionine, 0.02 mM for ATP and its activity is enhanced by the three inhibitors. This preliminary data suggests the presence of isozymes in Candida albicans and the possibility of morphology predominant form.The in vivo studies revealed that the addition of methionine inhibited enzyme activity. In addition, 1 mg/ml cycloleucine (in the presence of methionine) induced the activity of this enzyme, indicating that SAM (along with methionine) is a co-effector of enzyme activity and/or synthesis.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306