Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungus of the genus Aspergillus, and is one of the most common Aspergillus species to cause disease in immunocompromised individuals.

A. fumigatus has a stable haploid genome, with no known sexual cycle, and reproduces by forming conidiospores that are released into the environment. Capable of growth at 37°C (human body temperature), spores are common inhalation pollutants; typically, however, these are quickly eliminated by the immune system in healthy individuals.

When the fermentation broth of A. fumigatus was screened, a number of indolic alkaloids with anti-mitotic properties were discovered. The compounds of interest have been of a class known as tryprostatins, with spirotryprostatin B being of special interest as an anti-cancer drug.

Pathogenesis
A. fumigatus is common in the natural environment and can also be found in the upper respiratory tracts of healthy individuals. Exposure to A. fumigatus in immunocompromised individuals can lead to aspergillosis, a pulmonary infection. Leukemia or bone marrow transplant patients are at particular risk. Symptoms can include fever, weakness, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, aches, a heart murmur, blood in the urine or abnormal urine color, and straight, narrow red lines of broken blood vessels under the nails. Several virulence factors had been described.

A. fumigatus is also the causative pathogen in stonebrood, a disease of honeybees.

Genome
The genome sequences of three Aspergillus species&mdash;A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, and A. oryzae&mdash;were published in the journal Nature in December 2005. , ,