scholarly journals MFα1, the Gene Encoding the α Mating Pheromone of Candida albicans

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 1350-1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sneh L. Panwar ◽  
Melanie Legrand ◽  
Daniel Dignard ◽  
Malcolm Whiteway ◽  
Paul. T. Magee
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Null Mutant ◽  
Mating Pheromone ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Α Pheromone

ABSTRACT Candida albicans, the single most frequently isolated human fungal pathogen, was thought to be asexual until the recent discovery of the mating-type-like locus (MTL). Homozygous MTL strains were constructed and shown to mate. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that opaque-phase cells are more efficient in mating than white-phase cells. The similarity of the genes involved in the mating pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and C. albicans includes at least one gene (KEX2) that is involved in the processing of the α mating pheromone in the two yeasts. Taking into account this similarity, we searched the C. albicans genome for sequences that would encode the α pheromone gene. Here we report the isolation and characterization of the gene MFα1, which codes for the precursor of the α mating pheromone in C. albicans. Two active α-peptides, 13 and 14 amino acids long, would be generated after the precursor molecule is processed in C. albicans. To examine the role of this gene in mating, we constructed an mfα1 null mutant of C. albicans. The mfα1 null mutant fails to mate as MTLα, while MTLa mfα1 cells are still mating competent. Experiments performed with the synthetic α-peptides show that they are capable of inducing growth arrest, as demonstrated by halo tests, and also induce shmooing in MTLa cells of C. albicans. These peptides are also able to complement the mating defect of an MTLα kex2 mutant strain when added exogenously, thereby confirming their roles as α mating pheromones.

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of a Candida albicans Mating Pheromone

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (22) ◽  
pp. 8189-8201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Bennett ◽  
M. Andrew Uhl ◽  
Mathew G. Miller ◽  
Alexander D. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Secreted Proteins ◽  
Pheromone Response ◽  
Mating Pheromone ◽  
A Cells ◽  
Bona Fide ◽  
Identification And Characterization

ABSTRACT Candida albicans, the most prevalent fungal pathogen of humans, has recently been shown to undergo mating. Here we describe a mating pheromone produced by C. albicans α cells and show that the gene which encodes it (MFα) is required for α cells, but not a cells, to mate. We also identify the receptor for this mating pheromone as the product of the STE2 gene and show that this gene is required for the mating of a cells, but not α cells. Cells of the a mating type respond to the α mating pheromone by producing long polarized projections, similar to those observed in bona fide mating mixtures of C. albicans a and α cells. During this process, transcription of approximately 62 genes is induced. Although some of these genes correspond to those induced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by S. cerevisiae α-factor, most are specific to the C. albicans pheromone response. The most surprising class encode cell surface and secreted proteins previously implicated in virulence of C. albicans in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis. This observation suggests that aspects of cell-cell communication in mating may have been evolutionarily adopted for host-pathogen interactions in C. albicans.

Characterization of Essential Genes by Parasexual Genetics in the Human Fungal Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus: Impact of Genomic Rearrangements Associated With Electroporation of DNA

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 161 (3) ◽  
pp. 1077-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Firon ◽  
Anne Beauvais ◽  
Jean-Paul Latgé ◽  
Elisabeth Couvé ◽  
Marie-Claire Grosjean-Cournoyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Selective Medium ◽  
Essential Genes ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Insertional Mutants ◽  
Glucan Synthesis

Abstract We have evaluated the usefulness of parasexual genetics in the identification of genes essential for the growth of the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. First, essentiality of the A. fumigatus AfFKS1 gene, encoding the catalytic subunit of the β-(1,3)-glucan synthase complex, was assessed by inactivating one allele of AfFKS1 in a diploid strain of A. fumigatus obtained using adequate selectable markers in spore color and nitrate utilization pathways and by performing haploidization under conditions that select for the occurrence of the disrupted allele. Haploid progeny could not be obtained, demonstrating that AfFKS1 and, hence, β-(1,3)-glucan synthesis are essential in A. fumigatus. Second, random heterozygous insertional mutants were generated by electroporation of diploid conidia with a heterologous plasmid. A total of 4.5% of the transformants failed to produce haploid progeny on selective medium. Genomic analysis of these heterozygous diploids led in particular to the identification of an essential A. fumigatus gene encoding an SMC-like protein resembling one in Schizosacccharomyces pombe involved in chromosome condensation and cohesion. However, significant plasmid and genomic DNA rearrangements were observed at many of the identified genomic loci where plasmid integration had occurred, thus suggesting that the use of electroporation to build libraries of A. fumigatus insertional mutants has relatively limited value and cannot be used in an exhaustive search of essential genes.

Functional characterization of the PP2C phosphatase CaPtc2p in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans

Yeast ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 753-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinrong Feng ◽  
Jingwen Zhao ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Lilin Zhang ◽  
Linghuo Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen

A lacZ reporter with high activity in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Klimova ◽  
Siwei Chu ◽  
Bernard Turcotte
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Lacz Gene ◽  
Galactosidase Activity ◽  
Lacz Reporter ◽  
Reporter Expression ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Medical Importance

ABSTRACT Reporter genes are useful tools to study gene transcription in various organisms. For example, the lacZ gene encoding β-galactosidase has been extensively used as a reporter in bacteria, budding yeast, fruit fly, mouse etc. However, use of this gene in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans has been limited, probably due to low β-galactosidase activity. Here, we describe a reporter derived from the Vibrio cholerae lacZ gene in which codons have been optimized for expression in C. albicans. The constitutively active ACT1 promoter was fused to this synthetic lacZ reporter and integrated in the C. albicans genome. High β-galactosidase activity in liquid assays was observed for this reporter as well as coloration on X-gal plates. When the lacZ reporter expression was driven by the MET3 promoter, β-galactosidase activity in liquid assays and coloration on X-gal plates was higher in the absence of methionine, thus recapitulating the regulation of the native MET3 gene. This synthetic lacZ gene extends the toolbox of C. albicans reagents by providing a useful reporter for analysis of promoter activity in this organism of medical importance.

scholarly journals The role of aneuploidy in the emergence of echinocandin resistance in human fungal pathogen Candida albicans

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. e1009564
Author(s):  
Sudisht Kumar Sah ◽  
Jeffrey Joseph Hayes ◽  
Elena Rustchenko
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Echinocandin Resistance

scholarly journals Alternative oxidase induction protects Candida albicans from respiratory stress and promotes hyphal growth

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucian Duvenage ◽  
Louise A. Walker ◽  
Aleksandra Bojarczuk ◽  
Simon A. Johnston ◽  
Donna M. McCallum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Alternative Oxidase ◽  
Hyphal Growth ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Human Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Zebrafish Infection

AbstractThe human fungal pathogenCandida albicanspossesses two genes expressing a cyanide-insensitive Alternative Oxidase (Aox) enzymes in addition to classical and parallel electron transfer chains (ETC). In this study, we examine the role of Aox inC.albicansunder conditions of respiratory stress, which may be inflicted during its interaction with the human host or co-colonising bacteria. We find that the level of Aox expression is sufficient to modulate resistance to classical ETC inhibition under respiratory stress and are linked to gene expression changes that can promote both survival and pathogenicity. For example we demonstrate that Aox function is important for the regulation of filamentation inC.albicansand observe that cells lacking Aox function lose virulence in a zebrafish infection model. Our investigations also identify that pyocyanin, a phenazine produced by the co-colonising bacteriumPseudomonas aeruginosa, inhibits Aox-based respiration inC.albicans. These results suggest that Aox plays important roles within respiratory stress response pathways whichC.albicansmay utilise both as a commensal organism and as a pathogen.

Isolation and characterization of a gene encoding α-tubulin from Candida albicans

Gene ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 187 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Daly ◽  
Adly Yacoub ◽  
William Dundon ◽  
Giorgio Mastromei ◽  
Khalid Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Isolation And Characterization
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