title: Expression of a kexin-like gene from the human pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
abstract: Kexin-like proteins are proteinases belonging to the subtilase family which are involved in the processing of pro-proteins to their active forms. In fungi, kexin-like proteins are involved in several important cellular processes, including mating and dimorphism. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis undergoes a thermo-regulated dimorphic transition which is essential for the establishment of the infection. Although the molecular mechanisms which rule this process are still unknown, several genes identified in P. brasiliensis have been implicated in dimorphism, including kex2, a kexin-like protein. In this work we have used the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a host to perform heterologous expression analysis of the P. brasiliensis kex2 gene. Our data shows that kex2 can complement the functions of a S. cerevisiae kex2 mutant strain and could therefore be considered its functional homologue.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil. ftorres@unb.br
authors.forename: Fernando Araripe Gonçalves
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilaça
authors.forename: Lidia Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pepe De Moraes
authors.forename: Viviane Castelo Branco
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Maria Sueli Soares
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Felipe
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D049770:Genes, Mating Type, Fungal; D000072235:Mating Factor; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000235:genetics*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D043484:Proprotein Convertases / Q000235:genetics*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D010455:Peptides; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D000072235:Mating Factor; D043484:Proprotein Convertases; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C058751:KEX2 protein, S cerevisiae