The antifungal plant defensin RsAFP2 from radish induces apoptosis in a metacaspase independent way in Candida albicans.
We show that the antifungal plant defensin Raphanus sativus antifungal protein 2 (RsAFP2) from radish induces apoptosis and concomitantly triggers activation of caspases or caspase-like proteases in the human pathogen Candida albicans. Furthermore, we demonstrate that deletion of C. albicans metacaspase 1, encoding the only reported (putative) caspase in C. albicans, significantly affects caspase activation by the apoptotic stimulus acetic acid, but not by RsAFP2. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the induction of apoptosis with concomitant caspase activation by a defensin in this pathogen. Moreover, our data point to the existence of at least two different types of caspases or caspase-like proteases in C. albicans.
Aerts
An M
AM
Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics (CMPG), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium.
Carmona-Gutierrez
Didac
D
Lefevre
Sophie
S
Govaert
Gilmer
G
François
Isabelle E J A
IE
Madeo
Frank
F
Santos
Renata
R
Cammue
Bruno P A
BP
Thevissen
Karin
K
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D023082:Defensins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031224:Raphanus / Q000737:chemistry*
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D023082:Defensins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020169:Caspases; D019342:Acetic Acid