Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Aspergillus fumigatus: saprophyte or pathogen?

Fredj Tekaia1, Jean-Paul Latgé

  • 1Unité de Génétique Moléculaire des Levures, URA 2171 CNRS and UFR 927, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Institut Pasteur, 25, rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France.

Current Opinion in Microbiology
|July 16, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Aspergillus fumigatus lacks shared genes with other human pathogens but possesses plant-colonizing enzymes. Its genome encodes efflux pumps and metabolic traits aiding survival in human hosts and the environment.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dynamic Reprogramming of Fungal Cell Walls Underlies Germination and Immune Exposure in Zygomycetous Fungal Pathogens.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Chaotropic ions reshape the cell wall of the obligate halophile aspergillus atacamensis: Insights from solid-state NMR.

Carbohydrate polymers·2026
Same author

Chaotropic Ions Reshape the Cell Wall of the Obligate Halophile <i>Aspergillus atacamensis</i>: Insight from Solid-State NMR.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Revealing structure and shaping priorities in plant and fungal cell wall architecture via solid-state NMR.

Cell surface (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2025
Same author

Breaking down the wall: Solid-state NMR illuminates how fungi build and remodel diverse cell walls.

PLoS pathogens·2025
Same author

Kre6-dependent β-1,6-glucan biosynthesis only occurs in the conidium of <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>.

mSphere·2025

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Genomics
  • Environmental Microbiology

Background:

  • Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous mold found in decaying vegetation.
  • Human fungal pathogens like Candida and Cryptococcus species have distinct genomic profiles.
  • Understanding A. fumigatus's unique adaptations is crucial for treating invasive infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the genome of Aspergillus fumigatus with other human pathogens.
  • To identify genes and pathways enabling A. fumigatus's environmental and host survival.
  • To explore the role of efflux pumps and metabolic traits in fungal pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Large-scale comparative genomics.
  • Proteomic analysis of A. fumigatus.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Bioinformatic analysis of fungal genomes.

    • Main Results:

    • No exclusive gene sets were found shared between A. fumigatus and other sequenced human pathogens.
    • A. fumigatus genome contains enzymes for plant substrate colonization, reflecting its environmental niche.
    • The A. fumigatus proteome includes over 100 major facilitator efflux pumps, conferring resistance to environmental toxins and antifungal drugs.
    • Metabolic traits for environment sensing, oxidant defense, and nutrient retrieval are present, supporting saprotrophic growth.

    Conclusions:

    • A. fumigatus's unique genomic makeup distinguishes it from other human fungal pathogens.
    • Its genetic repertoire is adapted for both environmental saprotrophic growth and survival within a human host.
    • Efflux pumps and specific metabolic pathways are key to A. fumigatus's resilience and potential pathogenicity.