title: Inhibition of yeast-to-hypha transition in Candida albicans by phorbasin H isolated from Phorbas sp.
abstract: Phorbasin H is a diterpene acid of a bisabolane-related skeletal class isolated from the marine sponge Phorbas sp. In this study, we examined whether phorbasin H acted as a yeast-to-hypha transition inhibitor of Candida albicans. Growth experiments suggest that this compound does not inhibit yeast cell growth but inhibits filamentous growth in C. albicans. Northern blot analysis of signaling pathway components indicated that phorbasin H inhibited the expression of mRNAs related to cAMP-Efg1 pathway. The exogenous addition of db-cAMP to C. albicans cells had no influence on the frequency of hyphal formation. The expression of hypha-specific HWP1 and ALS3 mRNAs, both of which are positively regulated by the important regulator of cell wall dynamics Efg1, was significantly inhibited by the addition of phorbasin H. This compound also reduced the ability of C. albicans cells to adhere in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that phorbasin H impacts the activity of the cAMP-Efg1 pathway, thus leading to an alteration of C. albicans morphology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-921, South Korea.
authors.forename: So-Hyoung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ju-eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Chan-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Soon-Chun
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jongheon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Ki-Bong
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015870:Gene Expression; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D025301:Hyphae / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C113620:ALS3 protein, Candida albicans; D004224:Diterpenes; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; C118102:HWP1 protein, Candida albicans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C531496:phorbasin H