Prelimanary structural and biochemical study of the major ꞵ-carbonic anhydrase CafA from the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus

Abstract

A. fumigatus is a pervasive saprophytic fungus that is responsible for organic material decomposition and plays an important role in the cycle of environmental carbon and nitrogen. A. fumigates has been demonstrated as one of the most important fungal pathogens in immunocompromised patients. Several species of Aspergillus can cause aspergillosis. Among them, A. fumigatus was informed as the main cause of the disease. As a result, A. fumigatus infection can cause invasive allergic aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients when the CO2 concentration changes during infection. Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) catalyse the interconversion of CO2 to proton and bicarbonate. To understand the pathogenic roles of CAs, I studied the structure, catalytic mechanisms and inhibitory activity of carbonic anhydrases in A. fumigates (CafA). In the fungal kingdom, the CafA is one of zinc metalloenzymes that are an important role in cellular growth and survival. In addition, the CAs play a crucial role in virulence and differentiation of fungal pathogens.