title: A Candida albicans cell wall-linked protein promotes invasive filamentation into semi-solid medium.
abstract: Growth of cells in contact with an abiotic or biological surface profoundly affects cellular physiology. In the opportunistic human pathogen, Candida albicans, growth on a semi-solid matrix such as agar results in invasive filamentation, a process in which cells change their morphology to highly elongated filamentous hyphae that grow into the matrix. We hypothesized that a plasma membrane receptor-type protein would sense the presence of matrix and activate a signal transduction cascade, thus promoting invasive filamentation. In this communication, we demonstrate that during growth in contact with a semi-solid surface, activation of a MAP kinase, Cek1p, is promoted, in part, by a plasma membrane protein termed Dfi1p and results in invasive filamentation. A C. albicans mutant lacking Dfi1p showed reduced virulence in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. Dfi1p is a relatively small, integral membrane protein that localizes to the plasma membrane. Some Dfi1p molecules become cross-linked to the carbohydrate polymers of the cell wall. Thus, Dfi1p is capable of linking the cell wall to the plasma membrane and cytoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Paola C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Zucchi
authors.forename: Talya R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D021381:Protein Transport; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C077339:CEK1 protein, Candida albicans; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
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