title: Identification of a Candida parapsilosis strain producing extracellular serine peptidase with keratinolytic activity.
abstract: A yeast strain isolated from feather waste from a chicken processing plant was identified as Candida parapsilosis by biochemical tests and morphological studies. The yeast was able to grow in phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with 1% native feather as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. A keratin substrate was obtained from the feathers by dimethylsulphoxide extraction. A 20-fold concentrated culture supernatant from Candida parapsilosis grown on feathers was analysed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis containing either 1% gelatin or 1% keratin as copolymerised substrates. The presence of a single band with an approximate molecular mass of 60 kDa with gelatinolytic and keratinolytic activities was observed. This proteolytic activity was fully inhibited by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride. These results suggest that the extracellular enzyme belongs to the serine peptidase class. This is the first report of an extracellular serine peptidase produced by C. parapsilosis with keratinolytic activity. The role of this enzyme in yeast-host interactions is discussed.
authors: Laboratório Protease de Microrganismos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof Paulo de Góes, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. abvermelho@micro.ufrj.br
authors: Alane Beatriz
authors: AB
authors: Vermelho
authors: Ana Maria
authors: AM
authors: Mazotto
authors: Ana Cristina Nogueira
authors: AC
authors: de Melo
authors: Flávia Helena Cardoso
authors: FH
authors: Vieira
authors: Thalita Rodrigues
authors: TR
authors: Duarte
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Macrae
authors: Marília Martins
authors: MM
authors: Nishikawa
authors: Elba Pinto
authors: EP
authors: da Silva Bon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002175:Candida / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000201:enzymology*; D005241:Feathers / Q000378:metabolism; D005780:Gelatin / Q000378:metabolism; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008970:Molecular Weight; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010664:Phenylmethylsulfonyl Fluoride / Q000494:pharmacology; D057057:Serine Proteases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D010664:Phenylmethylsulfonyl Fluoride; D007633:Keratins; D005780:Gelatin; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D057057:Serine Proteases; C035855:keratinase