Role for Golgi reassembly and stacking protein (GRASP) in polysaccharide secretion and fungal virulence

Lívia Kmetzsch, Luna S. Joffe, Charley C. Staats, Débora L. de Oliveira, Fernanda L. Fonseca, Radames J.B. Cordero, Arturo Casadevall, Leonardo Nimrichter, Augusto Schrank, Marilene H. Vainstein, Marcio L. Rodrigues

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

56 Scopus citations

Abstract

Secretion of virulence factors is a critical mechanism for the establishment of cryptococcosis, a disease caused by the yeast pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. One key virulence strategy of C. neoformans is the release of glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), a capsule-associated immune-modulatory polysaccharide that reaches the extracellular space through secretory vesicles. Golgi reassembly and stacking protein (GRASP) is required for unconventional protein secretion mechanisms in different eukaryotic cells, but its role in polysaccharide secretion is unknown. This study demonstrates that a C. neoformans functional mutant of a GRASP orthologue had attenuated virulence in an animal model of cryptococcosis, in comparison with wild-type (WT) and reconstituted cells. Mutant cells manifested altered Golgi morphology, failed to produce typical polysaccharide capsules and showed a reduced ability to secrete GXM both in vitro and during animal infection. Isolation of GXM from cultures of WT, reconstituted or mutant strains revealed that the GRASP orthologue mutant produced polysaccharides with reduced dimensions. The mutant was also more efficiently associated to and killed by macrophages than WT and reconstituted cells. These results demonstrate that GRASP, a protein involved in unconventional protein secretion, is also required for polysaccharide secretion and virulence in C. neoformans.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)206-218
Number of pages13
JournalMolecular Microbiology
Volume81
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2011
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology

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