Non-canonical Activities of Hog1 Control Sensitivity of Candida albicans to Killer Toxins From Debaryomyces hansenii
Abstract
Certain yeasts secrete peptides known as killer toxins or mycocins with a deleterious effect on sensitive yeasts or filamentous fungi, a common phenomenon in environmental species. In a recent work, different Debaryomyces hansenii (Dh) strains isolated from a wide variety of cheeses were identified as producing killer toxins active against Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. We have analyzed the killer activity of these toxins in C. albicans mutants defective in MAPK signaling pathways and found that the lack of the MAPK Hog1 (but not Cek1 or Mkc1) renders cells hypersensitive to Dh mycocins while mutants lacking other upstream elements of the pathway behave as the wild type strain. Point mutations in the phosphorylation site (T174A-176F) or in the kinase domain (K52R) of HOG1 gene showed that both activities were relevant for the survival of C. albicans to Dh killer toxins. Moreover, Hog1 phosphorylation was also required to sense and adapt to osmotic and oxidative stress while the kinase activity was somehow dispensable. Although the addition of supernatant from the killer toxin- producing D. hansenii 242 strain (Dh-242) induced a slight intracellular increase in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), overexpression of cytosolic...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Methods Mentioned
Software Mentioned
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Candida albicans
Candida albicans is an opportunistic, fungal pathogen of humans that frequently causes superficial infections of oral and vaginal mucosal surfaces of debilitated and susceptible individuals. Discover the latest research on Candida albicans here.
Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a common fungal infection caused by Candida and it can affect many parts for the body including mucosal membranes as well as the gastrointestinal, urinary, and respiratory tracts. Here is the latest research.
Candidiasis (ASM)
Candidiasis is a common fungal infection caused by Candida and it can affect many parts for the body including mucosal membranes as well as the gastrointestinal, urinary, and respiratory tracts. Here is the latest research.