Aspergillus fumigatus RodA hydrophobin (RodA)

RodA hydrophobin is a small, surface-active protein of the hydrophobin family, encoded by the RODA gene in Aspergillus fumigatus. It is the dominant hydrophobin responsible for forming the characteristic rodlet layer on the surface of conidial spores, imparting hydrophobicity that protects the spores from desiccation and enables efficient air dispersal[1][2][3]. RodA also masks the spores from host immune recognition, rendering them immunologically inert and facilitating fungal survival in the host[1][2][5]. Deletion mutants lacking RodA lose the rodlet layer, become immunogenic, and are more susceptible to hostile environmental conditions and immune attack[1][4]. RodA is not required for biofilm formation, and currently there are no known drugs that directly target this protein[2][4]. Its essential role in immune evasion makes it a potential—but as yet not clinically exploited—antifungal target[1][5].

Other names

RodARodApRodA hydrophobin