title: Role of Candida albicans Tem1 in mitotic exit and cytokinesis.
abstract: Candida albicans demonstrates three main growth morphologies: yeast, pseudohyphal and true hyphal forms. Cell separation is distinct in these morphological forms and the process of separation is closely linked to the completion of mitosis and cytokinesis. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the small GTPase Tem1 is known to initiate the mitotic exit network, a signalling pathway involved in signalling the end of mitosis and initiating cytokinesis and cell separation. Here we have characterised the role of Tem1 in C. albicans, and demonstrate that it is essential for mitotic exit and cytokinesis, and that this essential function is signalled through the kinase Cdc15. Cells depleted of Tem1 displayed highly polarised growth but ultimately failed to both complete cytokinesis and re-enter the cell cycle following nuclear division. Consistent with its role in activating the mitotic exit network Tem1 localises to spindle pole bodies in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Ultimately, the mitotic exit network in C. albicans appears to co-ordinate the sequential processes of mitotic exit, cytokinesis and cell separation.
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Stephen W
authors: SW
authors: Milne
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Jill
authors: J
authors: Cheetham
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Lloyd
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Shaw
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Moore
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Konrad H
authors: KH
authors: Paszkiewicz
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Aves
authors: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK. Electronic address: s.bates@ex.ac.uk.
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Bates
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D048749:Cytokinesis; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D008938:Mitosis; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: C082279:CDC15 protein; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Candida albicans; Cell cycle; Cell separation; Cytokinesis; Mitotic exit; Tem1