GeNOME OF A DEADLY FUNGUS SEQUENCED
22 December 2005
The genome sequence of Aspergillus fumigatus – a common air-borne fungus that is a leading cause of death in vulnerable leukaemia and bone marrow transplant patients – has been cracked by an international collaboration. The detail provided by the genome sequence will provide researchers with a complete set of tools to work towards new diagnostics and treatments.
One of the most ubiquitous of the airborne fungi, A. fumigatus is found in cellars, household plant pots, composting facilities, ground pepper, spices and computers. It has been estimated that all humans worldwide inhale several hundred A. fumigatus spores each day.
While the vast majority of us will deal with them without harm, when we are weakened or exposed to particularly high levels of the fungus, it invades our lungs and other tissues, and is a leading cause of death in bone marrow transplant patients, AIDS/HIV patients and others whose immune system is compromised. A. fumigatus can also cause allergic reactions in some people and produces toxins.
The genome was sequenced by an international consortium of researchers led by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) in Rockville, USA, and the University of Manchester.
The team identified 10 000 genes on the eight chromosomes of A. fumigatus, including a set of genes that are likely to be important for its disease-causing properties and will be the first targets in the search for new treatments. Studying them will also help shed light on why this group of fungi is so lethal and allergenic.
The results of the genome sequencing and analysis were published today in 'Nature' magazine – alongside two other papers reporting the sequences of the other two key members of this family of fungi – Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus oryzae – by scientists at sequencing centres across the globe.
External links
- Nierman W et al. (2005) Genomic sequence of the pathogenic and allergenic filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Nature 438