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Fungal fimbriae are composed of collagen

M Celerin1, J M Ray, N J Schisler

  • 1Department of Plant Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

The EMBO Journal
|September 2, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Fungal fimbriae, initially found on Microbotryum violaceum, are composed of collagen-like proteins. This discovery suggests a shared evolutionary origin between fungi and animals, impacting our understanding of phylogeny and pathology.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Fungal fimbriae are surface appendages involved in fungal mating and pathogenesis.
  • These structures have been observed across numerous fungal species from all five phyla.
  • The protein composition of these fimbriae was previously uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the protein component of Microbotryum violaceum fimbriae.
  • To determine the evolutionary implications of fungal fimbriae composition.
  • To investigate the functional similarities between fungal fimbriae and animal extracellular matrix components.

Main Methods:

  • Amino acid sequencing of the N-terminus and internal regions of fimbrial proteins.
  • Enzymatic digestion of fimbriae.
  • Immunochemical analyses.
  • Functional assays using animal cells and fungal fimbriae as a substratum.

Main Results:

  • N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences of fungal fimbriae showed strong similarity to collagen gene family sequences.
  • Enzymatic and immunochemical analyses supported the collagen-like nature of the protein subunits.
  • Fungal fimbriae facilitated animal cell adhesion, spreading, and proliferation, mimicking mammalian extracellular matrix function.

Conclusions:

  • The protein subunits of fungal fimbriae are suggested to be fungal collagens.
  • The presence of collagen in fungi and animals suggests a common ancestor predating the divergence of these kingdoms.
  • Fungal fimbriae can functionally substitute for mammalian extracellular matrix components, with implications for both phylogeny and pathology.

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