Role of phospholipases in fungal fitness, pathogenicity, and drug development - lessons from cryptococcus neoformans

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Biolistic Transformation of a Fluorescent Tagged Gene into the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
07:32

Biolistic Transformation of a Fluorescent Tagged Gene into the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Published on: March 19, 2015

Julianne Teresa Djordjevic1

  • 1Fungal Pathogenesis Laboratory, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Medical School-Western, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital Westmead, NSW, Australia.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|June 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Fungal phospholipases, like phospholipase B (Plb) and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-C/Plc), are crucial for pathogen survival and virulence. Studies in Cryptococcus neoformans reveal their roles in host invasion and immune evasion, informing new antifungal drug development.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Enzymology

Background:

  • Pathogenic fungi produce phospholipases that aid in host survival, invasion, and immune evasion.
  • These enzymes disrupt host membranes and influence fungal cell signaling and virulence factor production.
  • Secreted phospholipases often utilize glycosylphosphatidylinositol motifs for secretion and localization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of phospholipase B (Plb) and phosphatidylinositol (PI)-specific phospholipase C (PI-C/Plc) in fungal pathogenesis.
  • To highlight insights gained from studying these enzymes in the model pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.
  • To discuss the implications of fungal phospholipases in the development of novel antifungal therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on fungal phospholipases, focusing on Plb and PI-C/Plc.
  • Analysis of studies conducted in the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans.
  • Examination of the functional roles of Plb and Plc1 in fungal virulence and fitness.

Main Results:

  • Plb is a key virulence factor in pathogenic fungi, with its secretion and regulation elucidated.
  • Intracellular Plc1 contributes to fungal fitness and pathogenicity through signaling pathways.
  • Plc1 influences pigment production, capsule formation, cell wall integrity, and thermotolerance.

Conclusions:

  • Fungal phospholipases are essential virulence determinants, with Plb and Plc1 playing distinct but critical roles.
  • Studies in Cryptococcus neoformans provide a model for understanding phospholipase function in fungal pathogenesis.
  • Fungal phospholipases represent promising targets for the development of new antifungal drugs that mimic their substrates.
Keywords:
Cryptococcus neoformansPI-PLC/Plcdrug developmentpathogenicityphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase Cphospholipase Bsecretionsignaling

More Related Videos

Assessing the Putative Anticryptococcal Properties of Crude and Clarified Extracts from Mollusks09:18

Assessing the Putative Anticryptococcal Properties of Crude and Clarified Extracts from Mollusks

Published on: December 2, 2022

Small-Scale Plasma Membrane Preparation for the Analysis of Candida albicans Cdr1-mGFPHis09:44

Small-Scale Plasma Membrane Preparation for the Analysis of Candida albicans Cdr1-mGFPHis

Published on: June 13, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Overview of Fungi01:29

Overview of Fungi

Fungi are a diverse group of eukaryotes more closely related to animals than other eukaryotes. Fungal cell walls comprise chitin, a polysaccharide that provides structural strength, and glucans, which contribute to flexibility and integrity. Other polysaccharides, such as mannans and galactosans, may supplement or replace chitin in some fungi. These adaptations, along with their preference for acidic environments and tolerance for high osmotic pressure, enable fungi to thrive in various...
Fungal Group Zygomycota01:29

Fungal Group Zygomycota

Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...
Phosphoinositides and PIPs01:42

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...