Role of calcineurin in stress resistance, morphogenesis, and virulence of a Candida albicans wild-type strain.
By generating a calcineurin mutant of the Candida albicans wild-type strain SC5314 with the help of a new recyclable dominant selection marker, we confirmed that calcineurin mediates tolerance to a variety of stress conditions but is not required for the ability of C. albicans to switch to filamentous growth in response to hypha-inducing environmental signals. While calcineurin was essential for virulence of C. albicans in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis, deletion of CMP1 did not significantly affect virulence during vaginal or pulmonary infection, demonstrating that the requirement for calcineurin for a successful infection depends on the host niche.
Bader
Teresa
T
Institut für Molekulare Infektionsbiologie, Universität Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, D-97070 Würzburg, Germany.
Schröppel
Klaus
K
Bentink
Stefan
S
Agabian
Nina
N
Köhler
Gerwald
G
Morschhäuser
Joachim
J
D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D019703:Calcineurin