Reduced pathogenicity of a Candida albicans MAP kinase phosphatase (CPP1) mutant in the murine mastitis model.
Candida albicans strains with a deletion of the mitogen-activated protein kinase tyrosine phosphatase gene (CPP1) are derepressed in the yeast-to-hyphal transition on solid surfaces in vitro at ambient temperatures and this gene is therefore required for repression of the yeast-to-hyphal switch. The pathology caused by a CPP1 null mutant strain was compared with that of the null mutant into which the wild-type CPP1 gene was introduced by homologous recombination and with the wild-type parent strain in a murine mycotic mastitis model. The mammary glands of lactating mice (at day 5 postpartum) were infected for 2, 4 and 6 days with 1 x 10(5), 1 x 10(6) and 1 x 10(7) cell-forming units before euthanasia. Infected and non-infected control glands were evaluated histopathologically. The null mutant strains showed less severe pathology than the two control strains. The Cpplp tyrosine phosphatase may thus be considered a virulence determinant during localized infection in C. albicans.
Guhad
F A
FA
Department of Physiology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Csank
C
C
Jensen
H E
HE
Thomas
D Y
DY
Whiteway
M
M
Hau
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008413:Mastitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009154:Mutation; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases