Structural and functional characterization of vesicular structures exported by the pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Abstract

We are using the pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis as a fungal model to study extracellular membranous vesicles (exosome-like). We intend to isolate and characterize the vesicles, determine their composition in comparison with cell wall proteins, verify their immunomodulatory role, and the role of monohexosylceramide in their secretion mechanism. The importance of exocytic vesicles as a secretion mechanism, transport of immunomodulatory molecules and their relevance in host/parasite relationship has been recently recognized among microorganisms, including the oportunistic fungus Cryptococcos neoformans. Two abstract meetings record preliminary findings by our group in P. brasiliensis and by others in Histoplasma capsulatum. In this project, we will compare the analyses in two genetically distinct isolates that evoke different profiles of infection in mice. (AU)