title: Regulation of sterol metabolism in Candida albicans by the UPC2 gene.
abstract: Candida albicans is an important pathogenic fungus of humans, causing a range of infections. These infections are usually treated with antifungal drugs that target sterol metabolism. Resistance to these antifungals can result from overexpression of sterol biosynthetic genes. Therefore it is of interest to understand transcriptional regulation of sterol biosynthesis in C. albicans. Recently two reports [Silver, Oliver and White (2004) Eukaryot. Cell 3, 1391-1397; MacPherson, Akache, Weber, De Deken, Raymond and Turcotte (2005) Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49, 1745-1752] have identified and characterized a single C. albicans transcription factor gene UPC2 that regulates sterol metabolism. The details of both characterizations are compared and contrasted. These reports extend our understanding of sterol regulation in this important human pathogen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. ted.white@sbri.org
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013261:Sterols / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D013261:Sterols; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2