Cellular Microbiology

The asexual spores (conidia, c) of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are formed on specialized structures (conidiophores, cp) and serve as infectious particles to cause aspergillosis. This study demonstrates that the defX gene is transcribed in the course of asexual sporulation and that its gene products, AfusinN and AfusinC, are secreted onto the conidial surface. There, these CSαβ defensin-like peptides exert antimicrobial activity to confer an advantage upon confrontation with competing bacteria.

Immunofluorescence image of Plasmodium berghei sporozoites (red) in HeLa cells 1.5 hours post infection. The parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) that surrounds the parasites was stained with antibodies against the PVM-resident protein UIS4 (grey). DNA was stained with DAPI (blue). Imaging was performed on a Leica SP8 confocal microscope. For further details, readers are referred to the article by Bindschedler et al. on p. e13271 of this issue.

Immunofluorescence image showing Theileria-transformed macrophages (Ode line) containing multinucleated schizonts decorated by a monoclonal antibody (1C12) specific for the parasite surface protein p104. DNA was stained with DAPI (blue), Bars 10uM. Images were captured using an inverted microscope; Leica DMI6000) with a 100×/1.6 NA objective. For further details, readers are referred to the article by Rchiad et al. on p. e13255 of this issue.