Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2021;432:67-79. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-83391-6_7.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are produced by all kingdoms of life and have been increasingly recognized as a key aspect of microbial pathogenicity. These membrane-bound compartments serve as secretory vehicles for the delivery of macromolecules to the extracellular environment. Studies over the past several decades have revealed that microbial EVs are highly suited to the biology and environmental context of the organism secreting them. Fungal EVs have been described in at least 12 species and have diverse functions. These functions include, but are not limited to, molecular transport across the cell wall, immunomodulation, cell-cell communication, export of virulence factors and nucleic acids, extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and induction of drug resistance. This chapter will explore the contributions of EVs to fungal pathogenesis and virulence, with a detailed focus on the role of C. albicans biofilm EVs in matrix biogenesis and antifungal resistance. Brief commentary on EV function in bacterial biofilms will also be provided for comparison, and suggestions for areas of future investigation in this field will be discussed.
细胞外囊泡（EVs）是所有生命形式产生的，它们被越来越多地认为是微生物致病性的一个关键方面。这些膜结合的隔室充当了将大分子递送到细胞外环境的分泌载体。过去几十年的研究表明，微生物 EVs 非常适合分泌它们的生物体的生物学和环境背景。已经在至少 12 个物种中描述了真菌 EVs，并且具有多种功能。这些功能包括但不限于穿过细胞壁的分子运输、免疫调节、细胞间通讯、毒力因子和核酸的输出、细胞外基质（ECM）的产生以及耐药性的诱导。本章将探讨 EVs 对真菌发病机制和毒力的贡献，重点关注 C. albicans 生物膜 EVs 在基质生物发生和抗真菌耐药性中的作用。还将简要讨论 EV 在细菌生物膜中的功能，以作比较，并讨论该领域未来研究的方向。
