Biology subjects

Martinez-Lopez, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Martinez-Lopez, R..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Thirty years of fluconazole therapy selects an azole-resistant Candida albicans isolate with a pre-adapted physiological, metabolic and structural state

Azole resistance in Candida albicans is traditionally attributed to alterations in drug targets and efflux mechanisms; however, how long-term antifungal exposure reshapes fungal physiology remains incompletely understood. Here, we characterize a fluconazole-resistant C. albicans clinical isolate (PUJ256) recovered from a patient with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis after more than 30 years of continuous fluconazole therapy. Compared with the reference strain SC5314, the resistant isolate exhibited a clear fitness trade-off, with reduced filamentation and increased membrane vulnerability under basal conditions, yet enhanced fitness in the presence of fluconazole. Integration of phenotypic analyses with label-free quantitative proteomics revealed extensive metabolic remodelling, including coordinated regulation of central carbon metabolism, ergosterol biosynthesis and redox homeostasis. Notably, mitochondrial membrane potential was preserved in the resistant isolate under fluconazole stress, whereas the susceptible strain exhibited mitochondrial depolarization together with activation of MAPK signalling pathways. In addition, the resistant isolate displayed reduced susceptibility to phagocytosis under antifungal exposure, consistent with an increased capacity for persistence in the context of ongoing treatment. Collectively, our findings indicate that long-term azole resistance in C. albicans PUJ256 is associated with a stable, pre-adapted physiological state characterized by metabolic reprogramming and mitochondrial resilience. The prolonged antifungal exposure of this isolate provides a valuable opportunity to explore adaptative strategies that extend beyond canonical mechanisms, pointing to mitochondrial function and metabolic plasticity as potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2024

From high protection to lethal effect: diverse outcomes of immunization against invasive candidiasis with different Candida albicans extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from Candida albicans can elicit immune responses, positioning them as promising acellular vaccine candidates. We characterized EVs from an avirulent C. albicans cell wall mutant (ecm33{Delta}) and evaluated their protective potential against invasive candidiasis. EVs from the yeast (YEVs) and hyphal (HEVs) forms of the SC5314 wild-type strain were also tested, yielding high survival rates with SC5314 YEVs (91%) and ecm33 YEVs immunization (64%). Surprisingly, HEV immunization showed a dual effect, resulting in 36% protection but also causing premature death in some mice. Proteomic analyses revealed distinct profiles among the top 100 proteins in the different EVs which may explain these effects: a shared core of 50 immunogenic proteins such as Pgk1, Cdc19, and Fba1; unique, relevant immunogenic proteins in SC5314 YEVs, and proteins linked to pathogenesis, like Ece1 in SC5314 HEVs. Sera from SC5314 YEVs-immunized mice showed the highest IgG2a titers and moderate IL-17, IFN-{gamma}, and TNF- levels, indicating the importance of both humoral and cellular responses for protection. These findings highlight the distinct immunogenic properties of C. albicans EVs, suggesting their potential in acellular vaccine development while emphasizing the need to carefully evaluate pathogenic risks associated with certain EVs.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Distinct human gut microbial taxonomic signatures uncovered with different sample processing and microbial cell disruption methods for metaproteomic analysis

Metaproteomics is as a promising technique for studying the human gut microbiota, because it can reveal the taxonomic profile and also shed light on the functional role of the microbial community. Nevertheless, methods for extracting proteins from stool samples continue to evolve, in the pursuit of optimal protocols for moistening and dispersing the stool sample and for disrupting microbial cells which are two critical steps for ensuring good protein recovery. Here, we evaluated different stool sample processing and microbial cell disruption methods for metaproteomic analyses of human gut microbiota. An unsupervised principal component analysis showed that different methods produced similar human gut microbial taxonomic profiles. An unsupervised two-way hierarchical clustering analysis identified the microbial taxonomic signatures associated with each method. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes identification was favored by moistening the stool samples during processing and by disrupting cells with medium-sized glass beads. Ascomycota identification was enhanced by using large-sized glass beads during sample processing for stool dispersion. Euryarchaeota identification was improved with a combination of small and medium-sized glass beads for cell disruption. Assessments of the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Spirochaetes improved when ultrasonication was performed before cell disruption with glass beads. The latter method also increased the overall number of identified proteins. Taxonomic and protein functional analyses of metaproteomic data derived from stool samples from six healthy individuals showed common taxonomic profiles. We also detected certain proteins involved in microbial functions relevant to the host and related mostly to particular taxa, such as B12 biosynthesis and short chain fatty acid production carried out mainly by members in the Prevotella genus and the Firmicutes phylum, respectively. Finally, in this metaproteomic study we identified several human proteins, mostly related to the anti-microbial response, which could contribute to determining the beneficial and detrimental relationships between gut microbiota and human cells in particular human diseases.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Small extracellular vesicles secreted by Candida albicans hyphae have highly diverse protein cargoes that include virulence factors and stimulate macrophages

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been described as mediators of microorganism survival and interaction with the host. In Candida albicans, a relevant commensal fungal pathogen, the dimorphic transition is an important virulence trait in candidiasis. We have analyzed EVs secreted by yeast (YEVs) or hyphal cells (HEVs) from C. albicans, finding interesting differences in both size distribution and protein loading. In general, HEVs were smaller and carried a much more diverse protein cargo than YEVs, including most of the proteins identified in YEVs, which were mainly cell surface proteins. Virulence factors such as phospholipases, aspartic proteases (Saps), adhesins and invasins, and the precursor protein of candidalysin toxin Ece1p were also detected. HEVs were also enriched in proteasomal and ribosomal proteins, and in enzymes from amino acid biosynthetic pathways, all involved in protein metabolism, as well as proteins related to intracellular protein transport and components of the ESCRT pathway related to exosome biogenesis. Both types of EV presented immune reactivity with human sera from patients suffering invasive candidiasis. In our conditions, only HEVs could elicit the release of TNF by activated macrophages. This first analysis of C. albicans HEVs shows their relevance to pathogenesis and possible new diagnostics or treatments.

microbiology↗