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Lai WC, Hsu HC, Cheng CW, Wang SH, Li WC, Hsieh PS, Tseng TL, Lin TH, Shieh JC. Filament Negative Regulator CDC4 Suppresses Glycogen Phosphorylase Encoded GPH1 that Impacts the Cell Wall-Associated Features in Candida albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8030233. [PMID: 35330235 PMCID: PMC8949380 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously identified Candida albicans GPH1 (orf19.7021) whose protein product was associated with C. albicans Cdc4. The GPH1 gene is a putative glycogen phosphorylase because its Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog participates in glycogen catabolism, which involves the synthesis of β-glucan of the fungal cell wall. We made a strain whose CaCDC4 expression is repressed, and GPH1 is constitutively expressed. We established a GPH1 null mutant strain and used it to conduct the in vitro virulence assays that detect cell wall function. The in vitro virulence assay is centered on biofilm formation in which analytic procedures are implemented to evaluate cell surface hydrophobicity; competence, either in stress resistance, germ tube formation, or fibronection association; and the XTT-based adhesion and biofilm formation. We showed that the constitutively expressed GPH1 partially suppresses filamentation when the CaCDC4 expression is repressed. The C. albicans Gph1 protein is reduced in the presence of CaCdc4 in comparison with the absence of CaCdc4. Compared with the wild-type strain, the gph1Δ/gph1Δ mutant displayed a reduction in the capability to form germ tubes and the cell surface hydrophobicity but an increase in binding with fibronectin. Compared with the wild-type strain, the gph1Δ/gph1Δ mutant showed a rise in adhesion, the initial stage of biofilm formation, but displayed a similar capacity to form a mature biofilm. There was no major impact on the gph1Δ/gph1Δ mutant regarding the conditions of cell wall damaging and TOR pathway-associated nutrient depletion. We conclude that GPH1, adversely regulated by the filament suppressor CDC4, contributes to cell wall function in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chung Lai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
| | - Hsiao-Chi Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
| | - Chun-Wen Cheng
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan;
| | - Shao-Hung Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 60004, Taiwan;
| | - Wan Chen Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
| | - Po-Szu Hsieh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
| | - Tzu-Ling Tseng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
| | - Ting-Hui Lin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
| | - Jia-Ching Shieh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan; (W.-C.L.); (H.-C.H.); (W.C.L.); (P.-S.H.); (T.-L.T.); (T.-H.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
- Immunology Research Center, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-424-730-022 (ext. 11806); Fax: +886-424-757-412
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Cao C, Xue C. More Than Just Cleaning: Ubiquitin-Mediated Proteolysis in Fungal Pathogenesis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:774613. [PMID: 34858882 PMCID: PMC8631298 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.774613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitin-proteasome mediated protein turnover is an important regulatory mechanism of cellular function in eukaryotes. Extensive studies have linked the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) to human diseases, and an array of proteasome inhibitors have been successfully developed for cancer therapy. Although still an emerging field, research on UPS regulation of fungal development and virulence has been rapidly advancing and has generated considerable excitement in its potential as a target for novel drugs. In this review, we summarize UPS composition and regulatory function in pathogenic fungi, especially in stress responses, host adaption, and fungal pathogenesis. Emphasis will be given to UPS regulation of pathogenic factors that are important for fungal pathogenesis. We also discuss future potential therapeutic strategies for fungal infections based on targeting UPS pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengjun Cao
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Chaoyang Xue
- Public Health Research Institute, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
- Rutgers Center for Lipid Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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Abstract
The WD40 domain is one of the most abundant and interacting domains in the eukaryotic genome. In proteins the WD domain folds into a β-propeller structure, providing a platform for the interaction and assembly of several proteins into a signalosome. WD40 repeats containing proteins, in lower eukaryotes, are mainly involved in growth, cell cycle, development and virulence, while in higher organisms, they play an important role in diverse cellular functions like signal transduction, cell cycle control, intracellular transport, chromatin remodelling, cytoskeletal organization, apoptosis, development, transcriptional regulation, immune responses. To play the regulatory role in various processes, they act as a scaffold for protein-protein or protein-DNA interaction. So far, no WD40 domain has been identified with intrinsic enzymatic activity. Several WD40 domain-containing proteins have been recently characterized in prokaryotes as well. The review summarizes the vast array of functions performed by different WD40 domain containing proteins, their domain organization and functional conservation during the course of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buddhi Prakash Jain
- Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, 845401, India.
| | - Shweta Pandey
- APSGMNS Govt P G College, Kawardha, Chhattisgarh, 491995, India
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Lee YT, Fang YY, Sun YW, Hsu HC, Weng SM, Tseng TL, Lin TH, Shieh JC. THR1 mediates GCN4 and CDC4 to link morphogenesis with nutrient sensing and the stress response in Candida albicans. Int J Mol Med 2018; 42:3193-3208. [PMID: 30320368 PMCID: PMC6202100 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans) CDC4 (CaCDC4), encoding the F-box protein for the substrate specificity of the Skp1-cullin-F-box E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, suppresses the yeast-to-filament transition in C. albicans. In our previous study, Thr1 was identified as a CaCdc4-associated protein using affinity purification. THR1 encodes a homoserine kinase, which is involved in the threonine biosynthesis pathway. The present study generated a strain with repressible CaCDC4 expression and continuous THR1 expression. Colony and cell morphology analyses, as well as immunoblotting, revealed that the Thr1 protein was detectable under conditions in which the expression of CaCDC4 was repressed and that the filaments resulting from the repressed expression of CaCDC4 were suppressed by the constitutive expression of THR1 in C. albicans. Additionally, by using the CaSAT1-flipper method, the present study produced null mutants of THR1, GCN4, and CaCDC4. The phenotypic consequences were evaluated by growth curves, spotting assays, microscopic analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and XTT-based biofilm formation ability. The results revealed that fewer cells lacking THR1 entered the stationary phase but had no apparent morphological alteration. It was observed that the expression of THR1 was upregulated concurrently with GCN4 during nutrient depletion and that cells lacking GCN4 rescued the lethality of cells in the absence of THR1 in conditions accumulating homoserine in the threonine biosynthesis pathway. Of note, it was found that cells with either CaCDC4 or THR1 loss were sensitive to oxidative stress and osmotic stress, with those with THR1 loss being more sensitive. In addition, it was observed that cells with loss of either CaCDC4 or THR1 exhibited the ability to increase biofilm formation, with those lacking CaCDC4 exhibiting a greater extent of enhancement. It was concluded that CaCDC4 is important in the coordination of morphogenesis, nutrient sensing, and the stress response through THR1 in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Ti Lee
- Institute of Medicine and School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yi-Ya Fang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yu Wen Sun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Hsiao-Chi Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Shan-Mei Weng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Tzu-Ling Tseng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Ting-Hui Lin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Jia-Ching Shieh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
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Abstract
Candida tropicalis is one of the most important human fungal pathogens causing superficial infections in locations such as the oral mucosa and genital tract, as well as systemic infections with high mortality. In its sister species Candida albicans, the cyclic AMP/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) pathway regulates fungal adhesion and dimorphism, both of which correlate closely with virulence. CaTpk1 and CaTpk2, the catalytic subunits of PKA, not only share redundant functions in hyphal growth, adhesion, and biofilm formation, but also have distinct roles in stress responses and pathogenesis, respectively. However, studies on PKA in the emerging fungal pathogen C. tropicalis are limited. Our results suggest that Tpk1 is involved in cell wall integrity and drug tolerance. The tpk2/tpk2 mutants, which have no protein kinase A activity, have reduced hyphal growth and adhesion. In addition, the tpk1/tpk1 tpk2/tpk2 double deletion mutant demonstrated delayed growth and impaired hyphal formation. In a murine model of systemic infection, both TPK1 and TPK2 were required for full virulence. We further found that EFG1 and HWP1 expression is regulated by PKA, while BCR1, FLO8, GAL4, and RIM101 are upregulated in the tpk1/tpk1 tpk2/tpk2 mutant. This study demonstrates that Tpk1 is involved in drug tolerance and cell wall integrity, while Tpk2 serves as a key regulator in dimorphism and adhesion. Both Tpk1 and Tpk2 are required for growth and full virulence in C. tropicalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Jan Lin
- a Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yen Wu
- a Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan
| | - Shang-Jie Yu
- a Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan
| | - Ying-Lien Chen
- a Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology , National Taiwan University , Taipei , Taiwan
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Biological Roles of Protein-Coding Tandem Repeats in the Yeast Candida Albicans. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4030078. [PMID: 29966250 PMCID: PMC6162428 DOI: 10.3390/jof4030078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tandem repeat (TR) DNA mutates faster than other DNA by insertion and deletion of repeats. Large parts of eukaryotic proteomes are encoded by ORFs containing protein-coding TRs (TR-ORFs, pcTRs) with largely unknown biological consequences. We explored these in the yeast Candida albicans, an opportunistic human pathogen. We found that almost half of C. albicans’ proteins are encoded by TR-ORFs. pcTR frequency differed only moderately between different gene (GO) categories. Bioinformatic predictions of genome-wide mutation rates and clade-specific differences in pcTR allele frequencies indicated that pcTRs (i) significantly increase the genome-wide mutation rate; (ii) significantly impact on fitness and (iii) allow the evolution of selectively advantageous clade-specific protein variants. Synonymous mutations reduced the repetitiveness of many amino acid repeat-encoding pcTRs. A survey, in 58 strains, revealed that in some pcTR regions in which repetitiveness was not significantly diminished by synonymous mutations the habitat predicted which alleles were present, suggesting roles of pcTR mutation in short-term adaptation and pathogenesis. In C. albicans pcTR mutation apparently is an important mechanism for mutational advance and possibly also rapid adaptation, with synonymous mutations providing a mechanism for adjusting mutation rates of individual pcTRs. Analyses of Arabidopsis and human pcTRs showed that the latter also occurs in other eukaryotes.
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Lai WC, Chang TW, Wu CH, Yang SY, Lee TL, Li WC, Chien T, Cheng YC, Shieh JC. Candida albicans Dbf4-dependent Cdc7 kinase plays a novel role in the inhibition of hyphal development. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33716. [PMID: 27644158 PMCID: PMC5028767 DOI: 10.1038/srep33716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen. The ability to switch among multiple cellular forms is key to its pathogenesis. The Dbf4-dependent protein kinase gene CDC7 is conserved due to its role in initiating DNA replication. Because a C. albicans Cdc7 (Cacdc7) homozygous null was not viable, we generated a C. albicans strain with a deleted C. albicans CDC7 (CaCDC7) allele and an expression-repressible allele. Surprisingly, cells of the strain grew as hyphae under the repressed conditions. The in vitro kinase assays confirmed that CaCdc7 (K232) and CaCdc7 (T437) are critical for catalytic and phosphoacceptor of activation activity, respectively. C. albicans cells formed hyphae when expressing either the catalytically inactive CaCdc7 (K232R) or the phosphoacceptor-deficient CaCdc7 (T437A). While CaCdc7 interacted with CaDbf4, cells of the strain in which CaCDC7 was repressed were not rescued by constitutively expressing C. albicans DBF4 or vice versa. We conclude that CaDBF4-dependent CaCDC7 is an essential gene suppressing the hyphal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chung Lai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Tschen-Wei Chang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chang Hao Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Shu-Ya Yang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Tai-Lin Lee
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Da-Yah University, Changhua County, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Wan Chen Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ting Chien
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Che Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Jia-Ching Shieh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan, Republic of China
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Chien T, Tseng TL, Wang JY, Shen YT, Lin TH, Shieh JC. Candida albicans DBF4 gene inducibly duplicated by the mini-Ura-blaster is involved in hypha-suppression. Mutat Res 2015; 779:78-85. [PMID: 26162773 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2015.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a natural diploid that does not have a complete sexual cycle. The ability to switch between diverse cellular forms is important to its virulence. Here, we describe the characterization of the C. albicans DBF4 gene, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog that encodes a regulatory subunit of Cdc7 kinase that is known to initiate DNA replication. We made a C. albicans strain, with one DBF4 allele deleted by the mini-Ura-blaster and the other controlled by a repressible promoter. We also found a third CaDBF4 copy that was later verified to be inducibly duplicated by targeted recombination with the min-Ura-blaster. Surprisingly, the strain deleted with the third CaDBF4 copy exhibited hyphal growth under repressed conditions. We conclude that the CaDBF4 gene is prone to being duplicated by the mini-Ura-blaster and that it suppresses hyphal growth in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Chien
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tzu-Ling Tseng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jiun-Yuan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Ting Shen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ting-Hui Lin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jia-Ching Shieh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan, ROC.
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Tseng TL, Lai WC, Lee TL, Hsu WH, Sun YW, Li WC, Cheng CW, Shieh JC. A role of Candida albicans CDC4 in the negative regulation of biofilm formation. Can J Microbiol 2014; 61:247-55. [PMID: 25719926 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2014-0526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The CDC4 gene is nonessential in Candida albicans and plays a role in suppressing filamentous growth, in contrast to its homologues, which are involved in the G1-S transition of the cell cycle. While characterizing the function of C. albicans CDC4 (CaCDC4), we found that the loss of CaCDC4 resulted in a reduction in cell flocculation, indicating a possible role for CaCDC4 in biofilm formation. To elucidate the role of CaCDC4 in biofilm formation, Cacdc4 null mutant strains were constructed by using the mini-Ura-blaster method. To create a CaCDC4 rescued strain, the plasmid p6HF-ACT1p-CaCDC4 capable of constitutively expressing CaCDC4 was introduced into the Cacdc4 homozygous null mutant. To determine the biofilm formation ability, an in vitro XTT (2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) reduction assay was used. Compared with the parental auxotrophic strain BWP17, the Cacdc4 homozygous null mutant was able to enhance biofilm formation significantly. This enhancement of biofilm formation in the Cacdc4 homozygous null mutant could be reversed by constitutively expressing CaCDC4. We conclude that CaCDC4 has a role in suppressing biofilm formation in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Ling Tseng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Road, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan
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