Copper Utilization, Regulation, and Acquisition by <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>

oleh: Nicholas Raffa, Nir Osherov, Nancy P. Keller

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2019-04-01

Deskripsi

Copper is an essential micronutrient for the opportunistic human pathogen, <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i>. Maintaining copper homeostasis is critical for survival and pathogenesis. Copper-responsive transcription factors, AceA and MacA, coordinate a complex network responsible for responding to copper in the environment and determining which response is necessary to maintain homeostasis. For example, <i>A. fumigatus</i> uses copper exporters to mitigate the toxic effects of copper while simultaneously encoding copper importers and small molecules to ensure proper supply of the metal for copper-dependent processes such a nitrogen acquisition and respiration. Small molecules called isocyanides recently found to be produced by <i>A. fumigatus</i> may bind copper and partake in copper homeostasis similarly to isocyanide copper chelators in bacteria. Considering that the host uses copper as a microbial toxin and copper availability fluctuates in various environmental niches, understanding how <i>A. fumigatus</i> maintains copper homeostasis will give insights into mechanisms that facilitate the development of invasive aspergillosis and its survival in nature.