Enzyme | Fungal pathogen | Role in pathogenesis |
Elastase | Dermatophytes | Destruction of elastin in tissues |
Coccidioides immitis | Destruction of elastin in lung and blood vessels | |
Collagenase | C. immitis | Break the peptide bonds in collagen. |
Elastase-alkaline serine proteinase | Aspergillus fumigatus | Degradation of elastin in lung tissues |
Keratinase | Dermatophytes | Damage of keratin in epidermis of the skin |
Aspartic proteinase | Candida albicans C. tropicalis C. parapsilosis C. lusitaniae A. fumigatus Cryptococcus neoformans | Destroying cell membranes and degrading host surface molecules contributing host tissue invasion and dissemination |
Phospholipase | Dermatophytes Aspergillus spp. C. neoformans C. albicans Trichophyton rumrum Microsporum canis Fonsecaea pedrosoi | Cleavage of phosphodiester bond in membrane lipids for invasion |
Lipase | Malassezia furfur F. pedrosoi Phialophora verrucosa Cladosporium carrionii Cladophialophora bantiana Exophiala jeanselmei | Degradation of lipids on the skin |
Catalase | Aspergillus spp. Histoplasma capsulatum C. albicans | Protection from oxidative killing in macrophages |
Superoxide dismutase | Aspergillus spp. C. albicans | Prevention from oxidative damage in macrophages |
Urease | C. neoformans, F. pedrosoi P. verrucosa, C. carrionii C. bantiana, E. jeanselmei | Hydrolysis of urea to carbon dioxide and ammonia |