Candida albicans strains deficient in CHS7, a key regulator of chitin synthase III, exhibit morphogenetic alterations and attenuated virulence.

Chitin is a structural polysaccharide present in most fungal cell walls, whose synthesis depends on a family of enzymic activities named chitin synthases (CSs). The specific role of each of them, as well as of their regulatory proteins, in cell morphogenesis and virulence is not well understood. Here, it is shown that most chitin synthesis in Candida albicans, one of the fungi most commonly isolated from opportunistic mycoses and infections, depends on CHS7.

Control of chitin synthesis through Shc1p, a functional homologue of Chs4p specifically induced during sporulation.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SHC1 gene encodes a protein with a high homology to Chs4p, a positive regulator of chitin synthase III (CSIII) during vegetative growth. SHC1 is not expressed during vegetative growth but is strongly induced during sporulation as a mid-late gene. shc1/shc1 mutants do not show any defect in the total rate of sporulation and meiosis occurs normally.