Genome analysis of three Pneumocystis species reveals adaptation mechanisms to life exclusively in mammalian hosts

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10740
• Publication Date: 2016-02-22T10:18:46Z
• Authors: Liang Ma; Zehua Chen; Da Wei Huang; Geetha Kutty; Mayumi Ishihara; Honghui Wang; Amr Abouelleil; Lisa Bishop; Emma Davey; Rebecca Deng; Xilong Deng; Lin Fan; Giovanna Fantoni; Michael Fitzgerald; Emile Gogineni; Jonathan M. Goldberg; Grace Handley; Xiaojun Hu; Charles Huber; Xiaoli Jiao; Kristine Jones; Joshua Z. Levin; Yueqin Liu; Pendexter Macdonald; Alexandre Melnikov; Castle Raley; Monica Sassi; Brad T. Sherman; Xiaohong Song; Sean Sykes; Bao Tran; Laura Walsh; Yun Xia; Jun Yang; Sarah Young; Qiandong Zeng; Xin Zheng; Robert Stephens; Chad Nusbaum; Bruce W. Birren; Parastoo Azadi; Richard A. Lempicki; Christina A. Cuomo; Joseph A. Kovacs
• Keywords: Pneumocystis pneumonia; Comparative Genomics; Host adaptation

Abstract Pneumocystis jirovecii is a major cause of life-threatening pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients including transplant recipients and those with HIV/AIDS, yet surprisingly little known about the biology this fungal pathogen. Here we report near complete genome assemblies for three species that infect humans, rats mice. genomes are highly compact relative to other fungi, substantial reductions ribosomal RNA genes, transporters, transcription factors many metabolic pathways, but contain expansions surface proteins, especially unique complex glycoprotein superfamily, as well proteases processing proteins. Unexpectedly, key cell wall components chitin outer chain N-mannans absent, based on content experimental validation. Our findings suggest has developed mechanisms adaptation life exclusively mammalian hosts, dependence lungs gas nutrients efficient strategies escape both host innate acquired immune defenses.