title: The Candida albicans myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase gene. Isolation and expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli.
abstract: Myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) has recently been identified as a target for antiviral and antifungal therapy. Candida albicans is a dimorphic, asexual yeast that is a major cause of systemic fungal infections in immunosuppressed humans. Metabolic labeling studies indicate that C. albicans synthesizes one principal 20-kDa N-myristoyl-protein. The single copy C. albicans NMT gene (ca-NMT1) was isolated and encodes a 451-amino acid protein that has 55% identity with Saccharomyces cerevisiae NMT. C. albicans NMT1 is able to complement the lethal phenotype of S. cerevisiae nmt1 null mutants by directing efficient acylation of the approximately 12 endogenous N-myristoylproteins produced by S. cerevisiae. C. albicans NMT was produced in Escherichia coli, a prokaryote with no endogenous NMT activity. In vitro studies of purified E. coli-derived S. cerevisiae and C. albicans NMTs revealed species-specific differences in the kinetic properties of synthetic octapeptide substrates derived from known N-myristoylproteins. Together these data indicate that C. albicans and S. cerevisiae NMTs have similar yet distinct substrate specificities which may be of therapeutic significance.
authors.affiliation: Monsanto Corporate Research, Chesterfield, Missouri 63198.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wiegand
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Minnerly
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pauley
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Carron
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Langner
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Duronio
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000201:enzymology*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D000217:Acyltransferases; C050480:glycylpeptide N-tetradecanoyltransferase