Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species
ABSTRACT Pneumocystis species are obligate fungal biotrophs that colonize the lungs of mammals. They cause deadly pneumonia in immunocompromised hosts. The sexual phase seems obligate during their life cycle and essential for survival because it is believed to ensure proliferation and transmission b...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2022-08-01
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| Series: | mBio |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00859-22 |
| _version_ | 1811281739907072000 |
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| author | Philippe M. Hauser Joao M. G. C. F. Almeida Sophie Richard Caroline S. Meier |
| author_facet | Philippe M. Hauser Joao M. G. C. F. Almeida Sophie Richard Caroline S. Meier |
| author_sort | Philippe M. Hauser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Pneumocystis species are obligate fungal biotrophs that colonize the lungs of mammals. They cause deadly pneumonia in immunocompromised hosts. The sexual phase seems obligate during their life cycle and essential for survival because it is believed to ensure proliferation and transmission between hosts. Here, we consider if the sexual phase is initiated by the fusion of two cells or by nucleus duplication in order to generate diploid cells that can undergo meiosis. The juxtaposition of the nucleus-associated organelles of pairs of cells with fused cytoplasmic membranes demonstrated that cell fusion can occur. Nevertheless, the frequency of cell fusion remains to be determined, and it cannot be excluded that both cell fusion and nucleus duplication are used to ensure the occurrence of the essential sexual phase. In vitro culturing of these fungi is a major milestone that could clarify the issue. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:39:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c2c9459927ab4d5fbbf9af4d393b5b50 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-7511 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:39:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | mBio |
| spelling | doaj.art-c2c9459927ab4d5fbbf9af4d393b5b502022-12-22T03:08:15ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymBio2150-75112022-08-0113410.1128/mbio.00859-22Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis SpeciesPhilippe M. Hauser0Joao M. G. C. F. Almeida1Sophie Richard2Caroline S. Meier3Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandUCIBIO—REQUIMTE, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, PortugalInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandInstitute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandABSTRACT Pneumocystis species are obligate fungal biotrophs that colonize the lungs of mammals. They cause deadly pneumonia in immunocompromised hosts. The sexual phase seems obligate during their life cycle and essential for survival because it is believed to ensure proliferation and transmission between hosts. Here, we consider if the sexual phase is initiated by the fusion of two cells or by nucleus duplication in order to generate diploid cells that can undergo meiosis. The juxtaposition of the nucleus-associated organelles of pairs of cells with fused cytoplasmic membranes demonstrated that cell fusion can occur. Nevertheless, the frequency of cell fusion remains to be determined, and it cannot be excluded that both cell fusion and nucleus duplication are used to ensure the occurrence of the essential sexual phase. In vitro culturing of these fungi is a major milestone that could clarify the issue.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00859-22genetic diversitymycosisnuclear fusionobligate biotrophic parasitesexual developmenttrophic form |
| spellingShingle | Philippe M. Hauser Joao M. G. C. F. Almeida Sophie Richard Caroline S. Meier Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species mBio genetic diversity mycosis nuclear fusion obligate biotrophic parasite sexual development trophic form |
| title | Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species |
| title_full | Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species |
| title_fullStr | Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species |
| title_short | Cell Fusion May Be Involved in the Homothallic Mating of Pneumocystis Species |
| title_sort | cell fusion may be involved in the homothallic mating of pneumocystis species |
| topic | genetic diversity mycosis nuclear fusion obligate biotrophic parasite sexual development trophic form |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.00859-22 |
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