The white-phase-specific gene WH11 is not required for white-opaque switching in Candida albicans

Molecular Genetics and Genomics : MGG
Y-N ParkJoachim Morschhäuser

Abstract

Phenotypic switching between white and opaque cells is important for adaptation to different host environments and for mating in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Genes that are specifically activated in one of the two cell types are likely to be important for their phenotypic characteristics. The WH11 gene is a white-phase-specific gene that has been suggested to be involved in the maintenance of the white-phase phenotype. To elucidate the role of WH11 in white-opaque switching, we constructed mutants of the C. albicans strain WO-1 in which the WH11 gene was deleted. The Delta wh11 mutants were still able to form both white and opaque cells whose cellular and colony phenotypes were indistinguishable from those of the wild type. Deletion of WH11 also did not affect the activation and deactivation of the white-phase-specific WH11 promoter and the opaque-phase-specific OP4 and SAP1 promoters in the appropriate cell type. Finally, switching from the white to the opaque phase and vice versa occurred with the same frequency in wild-type and Delta wh11 mutants. Therefore, the WH11 gene is not required for phenotypic switching, and its protein product seems to have other roles in white cells, which are dispensable af...Continue Reading

References

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Oct 26, 2002·Genetics·Shawn R LockhartDavid R Soll

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Citations

Apr 15, 2010·Medical Microbiology and Immunology·Joachim Morschhäuser
Jun 19, 2013·Eukaryotic Cell·Yang-Nim ParkDavid R Soll
Jun 14, 2008·PLoS Pathogens·Bernardo Ramírez-ZavalaJoachim Morschhäuser
Nov 30, 2005·Molecular Microbiology·Yang-Nim Park, Joachim Morschhäuser
Oct 17, 2013·PLoS Pathogens·Bernardo Ramírez-ZavalaJoachim Morschhäuser

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