scholarly journals SST2, a Regulator of G-Protein Signaling for the Candida albicans Mating Response Pathway

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Dignard ◽  
Malcolm Whiteway
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Transcriptional Profiling ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Mating Response ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Strain Sc5314 ◽  
Regulated Gene Expression

ABSTRACT Candida albicans contains a functional mating response pathway that is similar to the well-studied system of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have characterized a regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) homolog in C. albicans with sequence similarity to the SST2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Disruption of this gene, which had been designated SST2, causes an opaque MTL a/MTL a derivative of strain SC5314 to show hypersensitivity to the C. albicans α-factor. This hypersensitivity generates an enhanced cell cycle arrest detected in halo assays but reduces the overall mating efficiency of the cells. Transcriptional profiling of the pheromone-regulated gene expression in the sst2 mutant shows a pattern of gene induction similar to that observed in wild-type cells, but the responsiveness is heightened. This involvement of an RGS in the sensitivity to pheromone is consistent with the prediction that the mating response pathway in C. albicans requires the activation of a heterotrimeric G protein.

scholarly journals A G-protein alpha subunit from asexual Candida albicans functions in the mating signal transduction pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is regulated by the a1-alpha 2 repressor.

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1977-1985 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Sadhu ◽  
D Hoekstra ◽  
M J McEachern ◽  
S I Reed ◽  
J B Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Signal Transduction Pathway ◽  
Alpha Subunit ◽  
Transduction Pathway ◽  
G Protein Alpha Subunit ◽  
Protein Alpha Subunit ◽  
Null Mutants

We have isolated a gene, designated CAG1, from Candida albicans by using the G-protein alpha-subunit clone SCG1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a probe. Amino acid sequence comparison revealed that CAG1 is more homologous to SCG1 than to any other G protein reported so far. Homology between CAG1 and SCG1 not only includes the conserved guanine nucleotide binding domains but also spans the normally variable regions which are thought to be involved in interaction with the components of the specific signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, CAG1 contains a central domain, previously found only in SCG1. cag1 null mutants of C. albicans created by gene disruption produced no readily detectable phenotype. The C. albicans CAG1 gene complemented both the growth and mating defects of S. cerevisiae scg1 null mutants when carried on either a low- or high-copy-number plasmid. In diploid C. albicans, the CAG1 transcript was readily detectable in mycelial and yeast cells of both the white and opaque forms. However, the CAG1-specific transcript in S. cerevisiae transformants containing the C. albicans CAG1 gene was observed only in haploid cells. This transcription pattern matches that of SCG1 in S. cerevisiae and is caused by a1-alpha 2 mediated repression in diploid cells. That is, CAG1 behaves as a haploid-specific gene in S. cerevisiae, subject to control by the a1-alpha 2 mating-type regulation pathway. We infer from these results that C. albicans may have a signal transduction system analogous to that controlling mating type in S. cerevisiae or possibly even a sexual pathway that has so far remained undetected.

Carbon source induced yeast-to-hypha transition in Candida albicans is dependent on the presence of amino acids and on the G-protein-coupled receptor Gpr1

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 291-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Maidan ◽  
J.M. Thevelein ◽  
P. Van Dijck
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Amino Acids ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Carbon Source ◽  
G Protein ◽  
High Glucose ◽  
Glucose Concentration ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptor ◽  
Hypha Formation ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Yeast-to-hypha transition in Candida albicans can be induced by a wide variety of factors, including specific nutrients. We have started to investigate the mechanism by which some of these nutrients may be sensed. The G-protein-coupled receptor Gpr1 is required for yeast-to-hypha transition on various solid hypha-inducing media. Recently we have shown induction of Gpr1 internalization by specific amino acids, e.g. methionine. This suggests a possible role for methionine as a ligand of CaGpr1. Here we show that there is a big variation in methionine-induced hypha formation depending on the type of carbon source present in the medium. In addition high glucose concentrations repress hypha formation whereas a concentration of 0.1%, which mimics the glucose concentration present in the bloodstream, results in maximal hypha formation. Hence, it remains unclear whether Gpr1 senses sugars, as in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or specific amino acids like methionine.

Overexpression of the STE4 gene leads to mating response in haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-222
Author(s):  
M Whiteway ◽  
L Hougan ◽  
D Y Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Gene Product ◽  
Beta Subunit ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Pheromone Response ◽  
Mating Pheromone ◽  
Cycle Arrest

The STE4 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the beta subunit of the yeast pheromone receptor-coupled G protein. Overexpression of the STE4 protein led to cell cycle arrest of haploid cells. This arrest was like the arrest mediated by mating pheromones in that it led to similar morphological changes in the arrested cells. The arrest occurred in haploid cells of either mating type but not in MATa/MAT alpha diploids, and it was suppressed by defects in genes such as STE12 that are needed for pheromone response. Overexpression of the STE4 gene product also suppressed the sterility of cells defective in the mating pheromone receptors encoded by the STE2 and STE3 genes. Cell cycle arrest mediated by STE4 overexpression was prevented in cells that either were overexpressing the SCG1 gene product (the alpha subunit of the G protein) or lacked the STE18 gene product (the gamma subunit of the G protein). This finding suggests that in yeast cells, the beta subunit is the limiting component of the active beta gamma element and that a proper balance in the levels of the G-protein subunits is critical to a normal mating pheromone response.

scholarly journals Overexpression of the STE4 gene leads to mating response in haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Whiteway ◽  
L Hougan ◽  
D Y Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Cycle Arrest ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Gene Product ◽  
Beta Subunit ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Pheromone Response ◽  
Mating Pheromone ◽  
Cycle Arrest

The STE4 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the beta subunit of the yeast pheromone receptor-coupled G protein. Overexpression of the STE4 protein led to cell cycle arrest of haploid cells. This arrest was like the arrest mediated by mating pheromones in that it led to similar morphological changes in the arrested cells. The arrest occurred in haploid cells of either mating type but not in MATa/MAT alpha diploids, and it was suppressed by defects in genes such as STE12 that are needed for pheromone response. Overexpression of the STE4 gene product also suppressed the sterility of cells defective in the mating pheromone receptors encoded by the STE2 and STE3 genes. Cell cycle arrest mediated by STE4 overexpression was prevented in cells that either were overexpressing the SCG1 gene product (the alpha subunit of the G protein) or lacked the STE18 gene product (the gamma subunit of the G protein). This finding suggests that in yeast cells, the beta subunit is the limiting component of the active beta gamma element and that a proper balance in the levels of the G-protein subunits is critical to a normal mating pheromone response.

scholarly journals Inhibition of G-protein signaling by dominant gain-of-function mutations in Sst2p, a pheromone desensitization factor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 3635-3643 ◽  
Author(s):  
H G Dohlman ◽  
D Apaniesk ◽  
Y Chen ◽  
J Song ◽  
D Nusskern
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Growth Arrest ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Alpha Subunit ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
G Protein Alpha Subunit ◽  
Protein Alpha Subunit

Genetic analysis of cell-cell signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has led to the identification of a novel factor, known as Sst2p, that promotes recovery after pheromone-induced growth arrest (R. K. Chan and C. A. Otte, Mol. Cell. Biol. 2:11-20, 1982). Loss-of-function mutations lead to increased pheromone sensitivity, but this phenotype is partially suppressed by overexpression of the G protein alpha subunit gene (GPA1). Suppression is allele specific, however, suggesting that there is direct interaction between the two gene products. To test this model directly, we isolated and characterized several dominant gain-of-function mutants of SST2. These mutations block the normal pheromone response, including a loss of pheromone-stimulated gene transcription, cell cycle growth arrest, and G protein myristoylation. Although the SST2 mutations confer a pheromone-resistant phenotype, they do not prevent downstream activation by overexpression of G beta (STE4), a constitutively active G beta mutation (STE4Hpl), or a disruption of GPA1. None of the SST2 alleles affects the expression or stability of G alpha. These results point to the G protein alpha subunit as being the direct target of Sst2p action and underscore the importance of this novel desensitization factor in G-protein-mediated signaling.

scholarly journals G protein mutations that alter the pheromone response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 4439-4446 ◽  
Author(s):  
D E Stone ◽  
S I Reed
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
Pheromone Response ◽  
Mating Response ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Protein Mutations

The GPA1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a G alpha protein that couples the membrane-bound pheromone receptors to downstream elements in the mating response pathway. We have isolated seven mutant alleles of GPA1 that confer pheromone resistance: G50D (a glycine-to-aspartate change at position 50), G322E, G322R, E355K, E364K, G470D, and an E364K-G470D double mutant. All of the mutations lie within large regions that are highly conserved between Gpa1 and four other G alpha proteins; four of the changes are located in domains with proposed functions. On the basis of a gentic analysis, the pheromone-unresponsive GPA1 alleles can be divided into two classes: those that encode constitutively activated proteins and those that encode proteins unable to respond to the upstream signal. Our results support the hypothesis that the activated form of Gpa1 stimulates adaptation to pheromone.

scholarly journals Transcriptional Activation Domains of the Candida albicans Gcn4p and Gal4p Homologs

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikhail Martchenko ◽  
Anastasia Levitin ◽  
Malcolm Whiteway
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Deletion Analysis ◽  
Dna Binding Domains ◽  
Binding Domains

ABSTRACT Many putative transcription factors in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans contain sequence similarity to well-defined transcriptional regulators in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but this sequence similarity is often limited to the DNA binding domains of the molecules. The Gcn4p and Gal4p proteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are highly studied and well-understood eukaryotic transcription factors of the basic leucine zipper (Gcn4p) and C6 zinc cluster (Gal4p) families; C. albicans has C. albicans Gcn4p (CaGcn4p) and CaGal4p with DNA binding domains highly similar to their S. cerevisiae counterparts. Deletion analysis of the CaGcn4p protein shows that the N′ terminus is needed for transcriptional activation; an 81-amino-acid region is critical for this function, and this domain can be coupled to a lexA DNA binding module to provide transcription-activating function in a heterologous reporter system. Deletion analysis of the C. albicans Gal4p identifies a C-terminal 73-amino-acid-long transcription-activating domain that also can be transferred to a heterologous reporter construct to direct transcriptional activation. These two transcriptional activation regions show no sequence similarity to the respective domains in their S. cerevisiae homologs, and the two C. albicans transcription-activating domains themselves show little similarity.

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