Polyadenylation of ribosomal RNA by Candida albicans also involves the small subunit.
BACKGROUND
Candida albicans is a polymorphic fungus causing serious infections in immunocompromised patients. It is capable of shifting from yeast to germinating forms such as hypha and pseudohypha in response to a variety of signals, including mammalian serum. We have previously shown that some of the large 25S components of ribosomal RNA in Candida albicans get polyadenylated, and this process is transiently intensified shortly after serum exposure just prior to the appearance of germination changes.


RESULTS
We now present data that this process also involves the small 18S subunit of ribosomal RNA in this organism. Unlike the large 25S subunit, polyadenylation sites near the 3' end are more variable and no polyadenylation was found at the reported maturation site of 18S. Similar to 25S, one or more polyadenylated mature sized 18S molecules get intensified transiently by serum just prior to the appearance of hypha.


CONCLUSIONS
The transient increase in polyadenylation of both the large and the small subunits of ribosomal RNA just prior to the appearance of hypha, raises the possibility of a role in this process.
Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, UCLA School of Medicine, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90073 USA. jfl@ucla.edu.
Jacob
J
Fleischmann
Hong
H
Liu
Chieh-Pin
CP
Wu
D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D011061:Poly A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D026723:Polyadenylation / Q000235:genetics*; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D011061:Poly A