Plant lipoxygenases (LOX) are non-heme iron containing dioxygenases that catalyze the hydroperoxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids resulting in the synthesis of a large number of functionally diverse oxylipins. Although the physiological functions of jasmonate-producing 13-LOXs in dicots have been reported and highlighted in host defenses to pathogens and insects, the functions of 9-LOXs and 9-LOX derived oxylipins remain obscure for both monocots and dicots. The objective of this study was to elucidate the biochemical, molecular and physiological roles of a segmentaly duplicated pair of 9-LOXs, ZmLOX4 and ZmLOX5, in host defenses to diverse stresses. Despite of their extreme similarities at the sequence levels, the ZmLOX4 was preferentially expressed in underground organs, whereas ZmLOX5 was stress-induced in aboveground organs. Both genes were highly induced by exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) but transcripts of ZmLOX5 only were strongly induced in wounded leaves as well as in response to insect infestation, suggesting the role of ZmLOX5 in plant resistance response against insect herbivory. To test potential function of ZmLOX4 and ZmLOX5, near-isogenic wild-type and mutants were generated. In this study, I provided genetic evidence that ZmLOX5 is involved in host defense against insect herbivores via the regulation of wound-induced JA biosynthesis. Contrary to the role in insect defenses, ZmLOX5 mediated metabolism contributes to enhanced susceptibility to a leaf fungal pathogen, Colletotricum graminicola. ZmLOX4 appears to have evolved a defense function against C. graminicola. In addition, lox4 and lox5 mutants have opposite phenotypes in their ability to support production of conidia and to facilitate colonization of kernels in response to Aspergillus flavus. However, the two mutants were similar to each other in their enhanced susceptibility to kernel colonization and conidia production of Fusarium verticillioides. In conclusion, the data suggest that these two 9-LOXs, ZmLOX4 and ZmLOX5 and their metabolites have distinct roles in plant-insect and plant-pathogen interactions.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous fungus associated with several airway complications and diseases including asthma, allergies, cystic fibrosis, and most commonly invasive aspergillosis. The airway epithelium, a protective barrier, is the first anatomical site to interact with A. fumigatus. Although this host-fungal interaction is often asymptomatic for immunocompetent individuals, for immunocompromised persons, due to a weakened competence of the immune system, they have an increased likelihood of fungal infection. This dissertation aims to investigate the effect of A. fumigatus on the transcriptional response of human airway epithelial cells, focusing on the relationship between innate immunity and iron regulation from the host perspective. The trace element iron is needed by both the fungus and the host for cellular maintenance and survival, but tightly controlled iron regulation in the host is required to prevent oxidative stress and cell death. The research methods in this dissertation employ a systems biology approach, by incorporating mathematical modeling, RNA-seq analysis, and experimental biology techniques to assess the role of airway epithelial cells in the host-fungal interaction. Both the quantitative and qualitative research design allows for characterization of airway epithelial cells and the downstream changes in iron importer genes. This study addresses literature gaps through analysis of the host transcriptome using multiple time points, by performing an extensive evaluation of the effect of cytokines on iron importer genes, and conceptualization of a comprehensive mathematical model of the airway epithelial cell. The major findings suggest the following: 1) airway epithelial cells avidly respond to A. fumigatus through modification of the expression of immune response related genes at different infection stages, 2) during A. fumigatus co-incubation with airway epithelial cells, the iron importers genes respond in strikingly different ways, and 3) cytokines have a significant effect on the increase in expression of an iron importer gene. We illuminated the role of airway epithelial cells in fungal recognition and activation of the immune response in signaling cascades that consequently modify iron importer genes and hope to use this information as a platform to discover potential therapeutic targets. / Ph. D.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / BactÃrias e fungos sÃo encontrados juntos em uma infinidade de ambientes e, particularmente, na forma de biofilme, onde as espÃcies aderentes interagem atravÃs de diversos mecanismos de sinalizaÃÃo. Na cavidade oral, espÃcies de Candida coexistem com inÃmeras espÃcies bacterianas, e evidÃncias sugerem que bactÃrias podem modular a formaÃÃo de biofilme, bem como induzir a formaÃÃo de hifas e pseudo-hifas. Assim, caracterizar tais interaÃÃes à essencial para o entendimento da patogÃnese das doenÃas e, possivelmente, a descoberta de novas estratÃgias terapÃuticas. Nesse sentido, o objetivo principal deste trabalho foi avaliar, in vitro, os mecanismos envolvidos na interaÃÃo entre as bactÃrias Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus parasanguinis e a levedura Candida tropicalis. No estudo foi analisado o efeito dos metabÃlitos extracelulares presentes no sobrenadante de C. tropicalis (SCT) sobre o biofilme prÃ-formado (6h) de S. oralis, S. sanguinis e S. parasanguinis. TambÃm foi avaliado o efeito dos metabÃlitos extracelulares de S. oralis (SSO), S. sanguinis (SSS) e S. parasanguinis (SSP) sobre o crescimento planctÃnico, formaÃÃo de biofilme e capacidade de filamentaÃÃo de C. tropicalis, utilizando apenas o sobrenadante da cultura de cada um dos estreptococos em diferentes concentraÃÃes (100, 50 e 25%). AlÃm disso, foi analisado o efeito dos metabÃlitos extracelulares dos estreptococos sobre o biofilme prÃ-formado (6h) de C. tropicalis. Para verificar o efeito dos metabÃlitos extracelulares foram utilizados dois mÃtodos: o mÃtodo turbidimÃtrico que se baseia na leitura da densidade Ãptica (OD) das suspensÃes celulares e a coloraÃÃo cristal violeta (CV) que permite a quantificaÃÃo indireta da formaÃÃo de biofilme atravÃs da coloraÃÃo com cristal violeta. Em seguida, foram examinadas as caracterÃsticas dos biofilmes, formados por 24 horas, atravÃs da anÃlise por microscopia Ãptica comum. Os resultados referentes ao biofilme foram submetidos ao ANOVA com pÃs-teste Bonferroni, com diferenÃa estatÃstica de p<0,01. Nossos resultados sugerem que substÃncias solÃveis produzidas por S. oralis, S. sanguinis e S. parasanguinis induzem a formaÃÃo de hifas de C. tropicalis sem interferir no crescimento planctÃnico. AlÃm de diminuir drasticamente o desenvolvimento do biofilme dessa levedura quando em contato com SSS e SSP. Tal fato reforÃa a ideia de que existe grande heterogeneidade dentro de biofilmes polimicrobianos, especialmente entre leveduras e bactÃrias. E que o resultado dessa interaÃÃo depende das condiÃÃes as quais estes micro-organismos serÃo submetidos. / Bacteria and fungi are found together in a multitude of environments, and particularly in the form of biofilm adherent species which interact through various signaling mechanisms. In the oral cavity, Candida species coexist with numerous bacterial species, and evidence suggests that bacteria can modulate biofilm formation as well as induce the formation of hyphae. Thus, to characterize such interactions are essential to the understanding of pathogenesis of diseases and possibly the discovery of new therapeutic strategies. In this sense, the main objective of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the mechanisms involved in the interaction between bacteria Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Streptococcus parasanguinis yeast Candida tropicalis. In the study the effect of extracellular metabolites present in the supernatant of C. tropicalis (SCT) on the pre-formed biofilm (6H) S. oralis, S. sanguinis and S. parasanguinis was analyzed. The effect of extracellular metabolites of S. oralis (SSO), S. sanguinis (SSS) and S. parasanguinis (SSP) on planktonic growth and biofilm formation capacity filamentation of C. tropicalis was also evaluated using only the supernatant culturing each of streptococci in different concentrations (100, 50 and 25%). Furthermore, the effect of extracellular metabolites of streptococci on the pre-formed biofilm (6h) of C. tropicalis were analyzed. To verify the effect of extracellular metabolites two methods were used: The turbidimetric method based on the reading of the optical density (OD) of cell suspension and coloring crystal violet (CV) which permits indirect quantification of the biofilm formation by staining with crystal violet. Then were examined characteristics of biofilms formed by 24 hours, through the analysis simple optical microscope. The results for the biofilm were subjected to ANOVA with Bonferroni post-test, with a statistical difference of p<0.01.Our results suggest that soluble substances produced by S. oralis, S. sanguinis and S. parasanguinis induce the formation of hyphae of C. tropicalis without interfering with planktonic growth.In addition to dramatically decrease biofilm development of oral yeast when in contact with SSP and SSS. This reinforces the idea that there is great heterogeneity within polymicrobial biofilms, especially between yeasts and bacteria. And the result of this interaction depends on the conditions which these micro-organisms will be subjected.

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