Carbohydrate uptake and catabolism in fungi. importance of sugar trafficking during plant-host interactions

Fungal species have evolved different strategies to obtain and degrade resources available in their natural environments and/or their hosts. In general, these compounds can act as a carbon source or signaling molecules indicating the presence of the host in the surroundings. These molecules have been extensively studied as they contribute to host specificity and determine regulatory aspects of the host-fungus interaction. The knowledge and understanding of the metabolic traits and regulatory aspects of host-derived metabolites represent an interesting subject for research leading to the identification of novel targets for fungal disease control and management. In this chapter, the most relevant findings on filamentous fungi carbohydrate metabolism are reviewed. This review also provides a comparative analysis of carbohydrate metabolism in symbiotic, pathogenic and saprophytic species including sugar uptake and further degradation through glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid pathway. Even though fungal species interacting with plants are the main subject of discussion, the human pathogens Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus are also included in the analysis. 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Carbohydrate uptake and catabolism in fungi. importance of sugar trafficking during plant-host interactions Chapter