A high-affinity iron permease essential for Candida albicans virulence.
Microbial pathogens must compete with the iron-withholding defense systems of their host to acquire this essential nutrient. Here, two high-affinity iron permease genes, CaFTR1 and CaFTR2, were isolated. CaFTR1 expression was induced under iron-limited conditions and repressed when iron supply was sufficient, whereas the expression of CaFTR2 was regulated in a reversed manner. Mutants lacking CaFTR1 but not CaFTR2 exhibited a severe growth defect in iron-deficient medium and were unable to establish systemic infection in mice. Thus, CaFTR1-mediated iron-uptake mechanism constitutes a virulence factor of Candida albicans and may be a target for the development of anti-Candida therapies.
Ramanan
N
N
Microbial Collection and Screening Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609.
Wang
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D003470:Culture Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014774:Virulence
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; C098723:FTR1 protein, S cerevisiae; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D007501:Iron