Understanding How Fungi Build Their Cell Walls for Protection

Published January 25, 2022

Structural model of fungal cell walls supported by extensive solid-state NMR data.

Scientists have used high-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to reveal how fungal pathogens use carbohydrates and proteins to build their cell walls (the protective layers outside of the cell). These findings will guide the development of novel antifungal drugs that target the cell wall molecules to combat life-threatening diseases caused by invasive fungal infections.

What did scientists discover?

The cell wall, or the protective armor of fungi, is a complex network formed by five major types of carbohydrate polymers. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy resolved the spatial assembly of fungal cell walls and showed that mutants produce stiffer and more water-proof cell walls for better protection and survival. This novel mechanism enables these microbes to reconstruct their cell walls in response to stresses.

Why is this important?

Fungi are an emerging threat to human health, causing life-threatening infections in 2-3 million patients every year, with high mortality rates of 20-95% even after treatment. With the limited efficacy of commercially-available drugs and the upsurge of drug resistance, the need for novel antifungal compounds is on the rise. Understanding the molecular architecture of fungal cell walls and their structural responses to stresses will guide the development of antifungal drugs that target the molecules in their cell walls.

Who did the research?

Arnab Chakraborty¹, Liyanage D. Fernando¹, Wenxia Fang², Malitha C. Dickwella Widanage¹, Pingzhen Wei², Cheng Jin^2,3, Thierry Fontaine⁴, Jean-Paul Latgé⁵, Tuo Wang¹

¹Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University; ²Guangxi Academy of Sciences, China; ³Institute of Microbiology, China; ⁴Institut Pasteur, France; ⁵University of Crete, Greece

Why did they need the MagLab?

The samples being studied are living and intact fungal cells. These complex systems pose severe demands on NMR experiments, requiring high sensitivity and resolution. This research is enabled by the MagLab’s high-field 18.8 T NMR magnet and the state-of-the-art home built probes available at the MagLab.