title: Accumulation of P-bodies in Candida albicans under different stress and filamentous growth conditions.
abstract: Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that grows as budding yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal forms. In response to external signals, C. albicans switches rapidly among these forms. mRNA-containing cytoplasmic granules, termed processing bodies (P-bodies), have been reported to accumulate under various environmental stress conditions in diverse species from yeast to mammals. Here, we provide the first microscopic and genetic characterization of P-bodies in C. albicans. The core components of P-bodies, including the decapping machinery (Dcp2 and Dhh1), 5'-3' exoribonuclease (Kem1/Xrn1), and the P-body scaffolding protein (Edc3), were identified and their localizations with respect to P-bodies were demonstrated. Various growth conditions, including glucose deprivation, hyperosmotic stress, and heat stress, stimulated the accumulation of P-bodies. In addition, we observed P-body aggregation during hyphal development. The deletion mutant strain edc3/edc3 had a defect in filamentation and exhibited a dramatic reduction in the number of P-bodies. These results suggest that Edc3 plays an essential role in the assembly and maintenance of P-bodies in C. albicans, and that the switch to filamentous growth appears to accompany P-body accumulation.
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, College of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jong-Hwan
authors: JH
authors: Jung
authors: Jinmi
authors: J
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism*; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005095:Exoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D025301:Hyphae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C488957:EDC3 protein, S cerevisiae; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C400572:DCP2 protein, S cerevisiae; D004722:Endoribonucleases; D005095:Exoribonucleases; C068398:XRN1 protein, S cerevisiae