title: Biofilm formation by Candida albicans mutants for genes coding fungal proteins exhibiting the eight-cysteine-containing CFEM domain.
abstract: Several features and functions of a Candida albicans gene, PGA10 (also designated as RBT51), coding for a putative polypeptide species belonging to a subset of fungal proteins containing an eight-cysteine domain referred as CFEM (Common in several Fungal Extracellular Membrane proteins), are described. The ORF of the gene (ORF19.5674) encoded a protein of 250 amino acids, with a predicted molecular mass of 25.17 kDa. The product of the PGA10 gene also exhibited some features reminiscent of a class II-type hydrophobin. Deletion of PGA10 resulted in a cascade of pleiotropic effects, mostly affecting cell-surface-related properties. Thus, the null pga10Delta mutant displayed an increased sensitivity to cell-wall-perturbing agents and formed fragile biofilms that appeared partially split and weakly attached to the substratum. The biofilm-forming ability of several C. albicans mutants with single, double and triple deletions of genes encoding other protein species also containing the CFEM domain (RBT5 and WAP1/CSA1) was determined. These mutants also exhibited an abnormal ability to form biofilms. Overall, the evidence presented here suggests that fungal proteins containing the CFEM domain (Pga10p/Rbt51p, Rbt5p and Wap1p/Csa1p) may play a key role in the formation, development and/or maintenance of the biofilm structure in C. albicans.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Ecología, Universitat de Valencia, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pedrós
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murgui
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: López-Ribot
authors.forename: José P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins