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

• DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.28353-0
• Publication Date: 2005-10-05T22:08:00Z
• Authors: Donika Kunze; Inga Melzer; Désirée Bennett; Dominique Sanglard; Donna MacCallum; Jan Nörskau; David C. Coleman; Frank C. Odds; Wilhelm Schäfer; Bernhard Hube
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Base Sequence; Transcription, Genetic; Gene Expression Profiling; Molecular Sequence Data; Candidiasis; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; 3. Good health; Fungal Proteins; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Phenotype; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Type C Phospholipases; Candida albicans; Mutation; Animals; Drosophila Proteins; Humans; Amino Acid Sequence; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

Phospholipases C are known to be important regulators of cellular processes but may also act as virulence factors pathogenic microbes. At least three genes in the genome human-pathogenic fungus Candida albicans encode phospholipases with conserved phospholipase (Plc) motifs. None deduced protein sequences contain N-terminal signal peptides, suggesting that these not secreted. In contrast its orthologue Sacharomyces cerevisiae , CaPLC1 seems an essential gene. However, a conditional mutant reduced transcript levels had phenotypes similar Plc1p-deficient mutants S. including growth on media causing increased osmotic stress, non-glucose carbon source, or at elevated lower temperatures, CaPlc1p, like Plc1p counterpart involved multiple processes. Furthermore, phenotypic screening heterozygous Δ Caplc1 / showed additional defects hyphal formation. The loss cannot compensated by two PLC C. ( CaPLC2 and CaPLC3 ) encoding almost identical no containing structural elements found bacterial Although promoter differed dramatically, transcriptional pattern both was similar. essential. Caplc2 3 abilities produce hyphae solid media, were virulent wild-type model systemic infection. These data suggest contains different classes which have specific functions pathogenicity.