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Metal-Limited Growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae for Characterization of Metal-Responsive Genes and Metal Acquisition from Host Ligands
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Nutritional Immunity and Fungal Pathogens: a New Role for Manganese.
Asia S Wildeman1, Valeria C Culotta1
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Current Clinical Microbiology Reports
|June 18, 2025
Summary
Fungal pathogens require essential micronutrients like manganese for survival. Animal hosts employ nutritional immunity, limiting manganese availability to combat fungal infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Essential micronutrients (copper, zinc, iron, manganese) are vital for all organisms.
- Microbial pathogens must acquire these metals from hosts for survival.
- Nutritional immunity is a host defense mechanism that withholds vital nutrients from pathogens.
- Competition for metals significantly impacts infection outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of manganese in fungal pathogenesis.
- To understand how animal hosts limit manganese availability to fungi.
- To highlight the emerging understanding of manganese's role in fungal infections compared to other metals.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on fungal micronutrient acquisition.
- Analysis of host-pathogen interactions concerning manganese.
- Examination of manganese's functions in fungal physiology.
Main Results:
- Pathogenic fungi use manganese for antioxidant defense, cell wall integrity, morphogenesis, and host survival.
- Animal hosts restrict manganese access at cellular (macrophage, neutrophil) and tissue levels.
- The role of manganese in fungal infections is an area of growing research.
Conclusions:
- Manganese is a critical element for fungal pathogens.
- Nutritional immunity strategies targeting manganese are crucial for host defense.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the manganese-fungal interaction during infection.
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