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Phenotypic profiling of Scedosporium aurantiacum, an opportunistic pathogen colonizing human lungs
Jashanpreet Kaur1, Shu Yao Duan2, Lea A I Vaas3
1Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; Biomolecular Frontiers Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract:
Genotyping studies of Australian Scedosporium isolates have revealed the strong prevalence of a recently described species: Scedosporium aurantiacum. In addition to occurring in the environment, this fungus is also known to colonise the respiratory tracts of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. A high throughput Phenotype Microarray (PM) analysis using 94 assorted substrates (sugars, amino acids, hexose-acids and carboxylic acids) was carried out for four isolates exhibiting different levels of virulence, determined using a Galleria mellonella infection model. A significant difference was observed in the substrate utilisation patterns of strains displaying differential virulence. For example, certain sugars such as sucrose (saccharose) were utilised only by low virulence strains whereas some sugar derivatives such as D-turanose promoted respiration only in the more virulent strains. Strains with a higher level of virulence also displayed flexibility and metabolic adaptability at two different temperature conditions tested (28 and 37°C). Phenotype microarray data were integrated with the whole-genome sequence data of S. aurantiacum to reconstruct a pathway map for the metabolism of selected substrates to further elucidate differences between the strains.
Insights
Scedosporium aurantiacum, prevalent in Australia and infecting cystic fibrosis patients, shows varied metabolic capabilities. Virulent strains utilize different carbon sources and adapt better to temperature changes, differentiating them from less virulent ones.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Fungal Pathogenesis
- Genomics and Metabolomics
Background:
- Scedosporium aurantiacum is a prevalent fungal species in Australia.
- This fungus colonizes the respiratory tracts of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.
- Understanding S. aurantiacum's metabolic differences is crucial for predicting virulence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the metabolic substrate utilization patterns of S. aurantiacum isolates.
- To correlate metabolic profiles with fungal virulence in a Galleria mellonella model.
- To integrate metabolomic and genomic data for pathway reconstruction.
Main Methods:
- Phenotype Microarray (PM) analysis of 94 substrates.
- Galleria mellonella infection model to assess isolate virulence.
- Whole-genome sequencing for pathway analysis.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in substrate utilization were observed between low and high virulence S. aurantiacum strains.
- Low virulence strains utilized sucrose, while high virulence strains utilized D-turanose.
- Highly virulent strains demonstrated greater metabolic adaptability at 28°C and 37°C.
Conclusions:
- Metabolic profiling can distinguish S. aurantiacum strains with different virulence levels.
- Specific substrate utilization patterns are linked to S. aurantiacum virulence.
- Integrated omics data provide insights into S. aurantiacum's metabolic pathways and virulence factors.
