scholarly journals Signal transduction through homologs of the Ste20p and Ste7p protein kinases can trigger hyphal formation in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans

1996 ◽  
Vol 93 (23) ◽  
pp. 13217-13222 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Leberer ◽  
D. Harcus ◽  
I. D. Broadbent ◽  
K. L. Clark ◽  
D. Dignard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Protein Kinases ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Hyphal Formation

scholarly journals Release from Quorum-Sensing Molecules Triggers Hyphal Formation during Candida albicans Resumption of Growth

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 1203-1210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brice Enjalbert ◽  
Malcolm Whiteway
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Hyphal Growth ◽  
Growth Environment ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Hyphal Formation ◽  
Cyclin Genes

ABSTRACT Candida albicans is a pathogenic fungus able to change morphology in response to variations in its growth environment. Simple inoculation of stationary cells into fresh medium at 37°C, without any other manipulations, appears to be a powerful but transient inducer of hyphal formation; this process also plays a significant role in classical serum induction of hyphal formation. The mechanism appears to involve the release of hyphal repression caused by quorum-sensing molecules in the growth medium of stationary-phase cells, and farnesol has a strong but incomplete role in this process. We used DNA microarray technology to study both the resumption of growth of Candida albicans cells and molecular regulation involving farnesol. Maintaining farnesol in the culture medium during the resumption of growth both delays and reduces the induction of hypha-related genes yet triggers expression of genes encoding drug efflux components. The persistence of farnesol also prevents the repression of histone genes during hyphal growth and affects the expression of putative or demonstrated morphogenesis-regulating cyclin genes, such as HGC1, CLN3, and PCL2. The results suggest a model explaining the triggering of hyphae in the host based on quorum-sensing molecules.

scholarly journals Functional analysis of the phospholipase C gene CaPLC1 and two unusual phospholipase C genes, CaPLC2 and CaPLC3, of Candida albicans

Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (10) ◽  
pp. 3381-3394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donika Kunze ◽  
Inga Melzer ◽  
Désirée Bennett ◽  
Dominique Sanglard ◽  
Donna MacCallum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Phospholipase C ◽  
Essential Gene ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Systemic Infection ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Solid Media ◽  
Transcriptional Pattern ◽  
Human Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Hyphal Formation

Phospholipases C are known to be important regulators of cellular processes but may also act as virulence factors of pathogenic microbes. At least three genes in the genome of the human-pathogenic fungus Candida albicans encode phospholipases with conserved phospholipase C (Plc) motifs. None of the deduced protein sequences contain N-terminal signal peptides, suggesting that these phospholipases are not secreted. In contrast to its orthologue in Sacharomyces cerevisiae, CaPLC1 seems to be an essential gene. However, a conditional mutant with reduced transcript levels of CaPLC1 had phenotypes similar to Plc1p-deficient mutants in S. cerevisiae, including reduced growth on media causing increased osmotic stress, on media with a non-glucose carbon source, or at elevated or lower temperatures, suggesting that CaPlc1p, like the Plc1p counterpart in S. cerevisiae, may be involved in multiple cellular processes. Furthermore, phenotypic screening of the heterozygous ΔCaplc1/CaPLC1 mutant showed additional defects in hyphal formation. The loss of CaPLC1 cannot be compensated by two additional PLC genes of C. albicans (CaPLC2 and CaPLC3) encoding two almost identical phospholipases C with no counterpart in S. cerevisiae but containing structural elements found in bacterial phospholipases C. Although the promoter sequences of CaPLC2 and CaPLC3 differed dramatically, the transcriptional pattern of both genes was similar. In contrast to CaPLC1, CaPLC2 and CaPLC3 are not essential. Although Caplc2/3 mutants had reduced abilities to produce hyphae on solid media, these mutants were as virulent as the wild-type in a model of systemic infection. These data suggest that C. albicans contains two different classes of phospholipases C which are involved in cellular processes but which have no specific functions in pathogenicity.

scholarly journals Environmental Sensing and Signal Transduction Pathways Regulating Morphopathogenic Determinants of Candida albicans

2007 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 348-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subhrajit Biswas ◽  
Patrick Van Dijck ◽  
Asis Datta
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Morphological Plasticity ◽  
Signal Transduction Pathways ◽  
Mycelial Form ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Reversible Transitions ◽  
Hyphal Formation

SUMMARY Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that is found in the normal gastrointestinal flora of most healthy humans. However, under certain environmental conditions, it can become a life-threatening pathogen. The shift from commensal organism to pathogen is often correlated with the capacity to undergo morphogenesis. Indeed, under certain conditions, including growth at ambient temperature, the presence of serum or N-acetylglucosamine, neutral pH, and nutrient starvation, C. albicans can undergo reversible transitions from the yeast form to the mycelial form. This morphological plasticity reflects the interplay of various signal transduction pathways, either stimulating or repressing hyphal formation. In this review, we provide an overview of the different sensing and signaling pathways involved in the morphogenesis and pathogenesis of C. albicans. Where appropriate, we compare the analogous pathways/genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in an attempt to highlight the evolution of the different components of the two organisms. The downstream components of these pathways, some of which may be interesting antifungal targets, are also discussed.

scholarly journals Roles of Three Histidine Kinase Genes in Hyphal Development and Virulence of the Pathogenic Fungus Candida albicans

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (23) ◽  
pp. 7243-7247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiko Yamada-Okabe ◽  
Toshiyuki Mio ◽  
Naomi Ono ◽  
Yuji Kashima ◽  
Mitsuaki Matsui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Histidine Kinase ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Signal Transmission ◽  
Systemic Candidiasis ◽  
Hyphal Development ◽  
Hyphal Formation ◽  
Transmission Pathways ◽  
Null Mutants

ABSTRACT The pathogenic fungus Candida albicans harbors three histidine kinase genes called CaSLN1, CaNIK1, and CaHK1. The disruption of any one of these three genes impaired the hyphal formation and attenuated the virulence of C. albicans in a mouse systemic candidiasis model. The effects of the disruption on hyphal formation and virulence were most severe in the cahk1Δ null mutants. Although the double disruption of CaSLN1 and CaNIK1 was impossible, further deletion of CaSLN1 or CaNIK1 in thecahk1Δ null mutants partially restored the serum-induced hypha-forming ability and virulence. When incubated with radiolabelled ATP, the recombinant CaSln1 and CaNik1 proteins, which contained their own kinase and response regulator domains, were autophosphorylated, whereas CaHk1p was not. These results imply that in C. albicans, CaSLN1 and CaNIK1 function upstream of CaHK1 but are in distinct signal transmission pathways.

scholarly journals Expression Patterns in Reductive Iron Assimilation and Functional Consequences during Phagocytosis of Lichtheimia corymbifera, an Emerging Cause of Mucormycosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 272
Author(s):  
Felicia Adelina Stanford ◽  
Nina Matthias ◽  
Zoltán Cseresnyés ◽  
Marc Thilo Figge ◽  
Mohamed I. Abdelwahab Hassan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Iron Uptake ◽  
Intracellular Transport ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Iron Depletion ◽  
Iron Assimilation ◽  
Human Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Hyphal Formation ◽  
Yeast Mutants

Iron is an essential micronutrient for most organisms and fungi are no exception. Iron uptake by fungi is facilitated by receptor-mediated internalization of siderophores, heme and reductive iron assimilation (RIA). The RIA employs three protein groups: (i) the ferric reductases (Fre5 proteins), (ii) the multicopper ferroxidases (Fet3) and (iii) the high-affinity iron permeases (Ftr1). Phenotyping under different iron concentrations revealed detrimental effects on spore swelling and hyphal formation under iron depletion, but yeast-like morphology under iron excess. Since access to iron is limited during pathogenesis, pathogens are placed under stress due to nutrient limitations. To combat this, gene duplication and differential gene expression of key iron uptake genes are utilized to acquire iron against the deleterious effects of iron depletion. In the genome of the human pathogenic fungus L. corymbifera, three, four and three copies were identified for FRE5, FTR1 and FET3 genes, respectively. As in other fungi, FET3 and FTR1 are syntenic and co-expressed in L. corymbifera. Expression of FRE5, FTR1 and FET3 genes is highly up-regulated during iron limitation (Fe-), but lower during iron excess (Fe+). Fe- dependent upregulation of gene expression takes place in LcFRE5 II and III, LcFTR1 I and II, as well as LcFET3 I and II suggesting a functional role in pathogenesis. The syntenic LcFTR1 I–LcFET3 I gene pair is co-expressed during germination, whereas LcFTR1 II- LcFET3 II is co-expressed during hyphal proliferation. LcFTR1 I, II and IV were overexpressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to represent high and moderate expression of intracellular transport of Fe3+, respectively. Challenge of macrophages with the yeast mutants revealed no obvious role for LcFTR1 I, but possible functions of LcFTR1 II and IVs in recognition by macrophages. RIA expression pattern was used for a new model of interaction between L. corymbifera and macrophages.

scholarly journals Fructose Induces Fluconazole Resistance in Candida albicans through Activation of Mdr1 and Cdr1 Transporters

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 2127
Author(s):  
Jakub Suchodolski ◽  
Anna Krasowska
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Multidrug Resistance ◽  
Green Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Efflux Transporters ◽  
Fluconazole Resistance ◽  
Green Fluorescent

Candida albicans is a pathogenic fungus that is increasingly developing multidrug resistance (MDR), including resistance to azole drugs such as fluconazole (FLC). This is partially a result of the increased synthesis of membrane efflux transporters Cdr1p, Cdr2p, and Mdr1p. Although all these proteins can export FLC, only Cdr1p is expressed constitutively. In this study, the effect of elevated fructose, as a carbon source, on the MDR was evaluated. It was shown that fructose, elevated in the serum of diabetics, promotes FLC resistance. Using C. albicans strains with green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged MDR transporters, it was determined that the FLC-resistance phenotype occurs as a result of Mdr1p activation and via the increased induction of higher Cdr1p levels. It was observed that fructose-grown C. albicans cells displayed a high efflux activity of both transporters as opposed to glucose-grown cells, which synthesize Cdr1p but not Mdr1p. Additionally, it was concluded that elevated fructose serum levels induce the de novo production of Mdr1p after 60 min. In combination with glucose, however, fructose induces Mdr1p production as soon as after 30 min. It is proposed that fructose may be one of the biochemical factors responsible for Mdr1p production in C. albicans cells.

scholarly journals Signal transduction: Gyrating protein kinases

1999 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. R364-R367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Stock
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Protein Kinases

scholarly journals Cell Wall-Related Bionumbers and Bioestimates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frans M. Klis ◽  
Chris G. de Koster ◽  
Stanley Brul
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Cell Size ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Turgor Pressure ◽  
Hyphal Growth ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point

ABSTRACTBionumbers and bioestimates are valuable tools in biological research. Here we focus on cell wall-related bionumbers and bioestimates of the budding yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand the polymorphic, pathogenic fungusCandida albicans. We discuss the linear relationship between cell size and cell ploidy, the correlation between cell size and specific growth rate, the effect of turgor pressure on cell size, and the reason why using fixed cells for measuring cellular dimensions can result in serious underestimation ofin vivovalues. We further consider the evidence that individual buds and hyphae grow linearly and that exponential growth of the population results from regular formation of new daughter cells and regular hyphal branching. Our calculations show that hyphal growth allowsC. albicansto cover much larger distances per unit of time than the yeast mode of growth and that this is accompanied by strongly increased surface expansion rates. We therefore predict that the transcript levels of genes involved in wall formation increase during hyphal growth. Interestingly, wall proteins and polysaccharides seem barely, if at all, subject to turnover and replacement. A general lesson is how strongly most bionumbers and bioestimates depend on environmental conditions and genetic background, thus reemphasizing the importance of well-defined and carefully chosen culture conditions and experimental approaches. Finally, we propose that the numbers and estimates described here offer a solid starting point for similar studies of other cell compartments and other yeast species.

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