System-level impact of mitochondria on fungal virulence: to metabolism and beyond

Richard Calderone, Dongmei Li, Ana Traven

Research output: Contribution to journalReview ArticleResearchpeer-review

74 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The mitochondrion plays wide-ranging roles in eukaryotic cell physiology. In pathogenic fungi this central metabolic organelle mediates a range of functions related to disease, from fitness of the pathogen, to developmental and morphogenetic transitions to antifungal drug susceptibility. In this review, we present the latest findings in this area. We focus on likely mechanisms of mitochondrial impact on fungal virulence pathways through metabolism and stress responses, but also potentially via control over signaling pathways. We highlight fungal mitochondrial proteins that lack human homologs, and which could be inhibited as a strategy for the development of future antifungal therapeutics.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages11
JournalFEMS Yeast Research
Volume15
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

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