title: The Mkk2 MAPKK Regulates Cell Wall Biogenesis in Cooperation with the Cek1-Pathway in Candida albicans.
abstract: The cell wall integrity pathway (CWI) plays an important role in the biogenesis of the cell wall in Candida albicans and other fungi. In the present work, the C. albicans MKK2 gene that encodes the putative MAPKK of this pathway was deleted in different backgrounds and the phenotypes of the resultant mutants were characterised. We show here that Mkk2 mediates the phosphorylation of the Mkc1 MAPK in response to cell wall assembly interfering agents such as zymolyase or tunicamycin and also to oxidative stress. Remarkably, mkk2 and mkc1 mutants display related but distinguishable- cell wall associated phenotypes and differ in the pattern of MAPK phosphorylation under different stress conditions. mkk2 and mkc1 mutants display an altered expression of GSC1, CEK1 and CRH11 genes at different temperatures. Combined deletion of MKK2 with HST7 supports a cooperative role for the Cek1-mediated and CWI pathways in regulating cell wall architecture under vegetative growth. However, and in contrast to Mkc1, Mkk2 does not seem to play a role in the virulence of C. albicans in the mouse systemic model or the Galleria mellonella model of infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Román
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alonso-Monge
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000201:enzymology*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010641:Phenotype; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; C077339:CEK1 protein, Candida albicans; C092603:MKC1 protein, Candida albicans; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases