Interaction of human phagocytes with pigmentless Aspergillus conidia.

A defect in the pksP gene of Aspergillus fumigatus is associated with the loss of conidial pigmentation, a profound change of the conidial surface structure, and reduced virulence. The structural change of the conidial surface structure was not observed in similar A. nidulans wA mutants. Our data indicate that the pigment of both species is important for scavenging reactive oxygen species and for protection of conidia against oxidative damage.