The Cwr1 protein kinase localizes to the plasma membrane and mediates resistance to cell wall stress in .

Unlabelled: The plasma membrane is critical for the virulence of the human fungal pathogen . In addition to functioning as a protective barrier, the plasma membrane plays dynamic roles in a wide range of functions needed for virulence including nutrient uptake, cell wall synthesis, morphogenesis, resistance to stress, and invasive hyphal growth. Screening a collection of mutants identified an understudied gene that is important for invasive hyphal growth, which we have termed (Cell Wall Regulatory kinase).

resistance to hypochlorous acid.

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), commonly known as bleach, is generated during the respiratory burst by phagocytes and is a key weapon used to attack and other microbial pathogens. However, the effects of hypochlorous acid on have been less well studied than HO, a different type of oxidant produced by phagocytes. HOCl kills more effectively than HO and results in disruption of the plasma membrane.

Agar Invasion Assays.

The ability of the human fungal pathogen to disseminate into tissues is promoted by a switch from budding to invasive hyphal growth. This morphological transition is stimulated by multiple environmental factors that can vary at different sites of infection. To identify genes that promote invasive growth, mutants can be screened for defects in growing invasively into solid agar medium as a substitute for studying tissue invasion.

Plasma Membrane MCC/Eisosome Domains Promote Stress Resistance in Fungi.

There is growing appreciation that the plasma membrane orchestrates a diverse array of functions by segregating different activities into specialized domains that vary in size, stability, and composition. Studies with the budding yeast have identified a novel type of plasma membrane domain known as the MCC (membrane compartment of Can1)/eisosomes that correspond to stable furrows in the plasma membrane. MCC/eisosomes maintain proteins at the cell surface, such as nutrient transporters like the Can1 arginine symporter, by protecting them from endocytosis and degradation.

Candida albicans Δ and Δ Endocytosis Mutants Are Defective in Invasion into the Oral Cavity.

Invasive growth in tissues by the human fungal pathogen is promoted by a switch from budding to hyphal morphogenesis that is stimulated by multiple environmental factors that can vary at different sites of infection. To identify genes that promote invasive growth in the oral cavity to cause oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), we first identified mutants that failed to invade agar medium. Analysis of nine severely defective mutants in a mouse model of OPC revealed that the strongest defects were seen for the Δ and Δ mutants, which lack amphiphysin proteins needed for endocytosis.

Plasma membrane architecture protects Candida albicans from killing by copper.

The ability to resist copper toxicity is important for microbial pathogens to survive attack by innate immune cells. A sur7Δ mutant of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans exhibits decreased virulence that correlates with increased sensitivity to copper, as well as defects in other stress responses and morphogenesis. Previous studies indicated that copper kills sur7Δ cells by a mechanism distinct from the known resistance pathways involving the Crp1 copper exporter or the Cup1 metallothionein.

MCC/Eisosomes Regulate Cell Wall Synthesis and Stress Responses in Fungi.

The fungal plasma membrane is critical for cell wall synthesis and other important processes including nutrient uptake, secretion, endocytosis, morphogenesis, and response to stress. To coordinate these diverse functions, the plasma membrane is organized into specialized compartments that vary in size, stability, and composition. One recently identified domain known as the Membrane Compartment of Can1 (MCC)/eisosome is distinctive in that it corresponds to a furrow-like invagination in the plasma membrane.

Eisosomes promote the ability of Sur7 to regulate plasma membrane organization in Candida albicans.

The plasma membrane of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans forms a protective barrier that also mediates many processes needed for virulence, including cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, and nutrient uptake. Because compartmentalization of the plasma membrane is believed to coordinate these diverse activities, we examined plasma membrane microdomains termed eisosomes or membrane compartment of Can1 (MCC), which correspond to ∼200-nm-long furrows in the plasma membrane. A pil1∆ lsp1∆ mutant failed to form eisosomes and displayed strong defects in plasma membrane organization and morphogenesis, including extensive cell wall invaginations.

Plasma membrane organization promotes virulence of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

Candida albicans is a human fungal pathogen capable of causing lethal systemic infections. The plasma membrane plays key roles in virulence because it not only functions as a protective barrier, it also mediates dynamic functions including secretion of virulence factors, cell wall synthesis, invasive hyphal morphogenesis, endocytosis, and nutrient uptake. Consistent with this functional complexity, the plasma membrane is composed of a wide array of lipids and proteins.

Fungal membrane organization: the eisosome concept.

The fungal plasma membrane is organized into specialized domains that vary in size, stability, and composition. Membrane compartment of Can1(MCC)/eisosome domains that were recently discovered in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are interesting because they represent a novel type of membrane domain that is important for plasma membrane organization, sphingolipid homeostasis, and cell wall morphogenesis. The MCC portion was identified as stable punctate patches that correspond to furrows in the plasma membrane that are about 300 nm long and 50 nm deep.

The MARVEL domain protein Nce102 regulates actin organization and invasive growth of Candida albicans.

Unlabelled: Invasive growth of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans into tissues promotes disseminated infections in humans. The plasma membrane is essential for pathogenesis because this important barrier mediates morphogenesis and invasive growth, as well as secretion of virulence factors, cell wall synthesis, nutrient import, and other processes. Previous studies showed that the Sur7 tetraspan protein that localizes to MCC (membrane compartment occupied by Can1)/eisosome subdomains of the plasma membrane regulates a broad range of key functions, including cell wall synthesis, morphogenesis, and resistance to copper.

Clathrin- and Arp2/3-independent endocytosis in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

Unlabelled: Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is conserved among eukaryotes and has been extensively analyzed at a molecular level. Here, we present an analysis of CME in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans that shows the same modular structure as those in other fungi and mammalian cells. Intriguingly, C.

Membrane Compartment Occupied by Can1 (MCC) and Eisosome Subdomains of the Fungal Plasma Membrane.

Studies on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have revealed that fungal plasma membranes are organized into different subdomains. One new domain termed MCC/eisosomes consists of stable punctate patches that are distinct from lipid rafts. The MCC/eisosome domains correspond to furrows in the plasma membrane that are about 300 nm long and 50 nm deep.

Sur7 promotes plasma membrane organization and is needed for resistance to stressful conditions and to the invasive growth and virulence of Candida albicans.

The human fungal pathogen Candida albicans causes lethal systemic infections because of its ability to grow and disseminate in a host. The C. albicans plasma membrane is essential for virulence by acting as a protective barrier and through its key roles in interfacing with the environment, secretion of virulence factors, morphogenesis, and cell wall synthesis.

The Candida albicans Sur7 protein is needed for proper synthesis of the fibrillar component of the cell wall that confers strength.

The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays important roles in interfacing with the environment, morphogenesis, and cell wall synthesis. The role of the Sur7 protein in cell wall structure and function was analyzed, since previous studies showed that this plasma membrane protein is needed to prevent abnormal intracellular growth of the cell wall. Sur7 localizes to stable patches in the plasma membrane, known as MCC (membrane compartment occupied by Can1), that are associated with eisosome proteins.

Recognition of yeast by murine macrophages requires mannan but not glucan.

The first barrier against infection by Candida albicans involves fungal recognition and destruction by phagocytic cells of the innate immune system. It is well established that interactions between different phagocyte receptors and components of the fungal cell wall trigger phagocytosis and subsequent immune responses, but the fungal ligands mediating the initial stage of recognition have not been identified. Here, we describe a novel assay for fungal recognition and uptake by macrophages which monitors this early recognition step independently of other downstream events of phagocytosis.

Identification of GIG1, a GlcNAc-induced gene in Candida albicans needed for normal sensitivity to the chitin synthase inhibitor nikkomycin Z.

The amino sugar N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is known to be an important structural component of cells from bacteria to humans, but its roles in cell signaling are less well understood. GlcNAc induces two pathways in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. One activates cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling, which stimulates the formation of hyphal cells and the expression of virulence genes, and the other pathway induces genes needed to catabolize GlcNAc.

The Sur7 protein resides in punctate membrane subdomains and mediates spatial regulation of cell wall synthesis in Candida albicans.

The eukaryotic plasma membrane is organized into distinct domains that contribute to its function. One new type of plasma membrane domain was identified by studies on the Sur7 protein, which was discovered in the yeast S. cerevisiae to localize into stable punctate patches known as MCC or eisosomes.

BAR domain proteins Rvs161 and Rvs167 contribute to Candida albicans endocytosis, morphogenesis, and virulence.

The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays critical roles in growth and virulence and as a target for antifungal drugs. Three C. albicans genes that encode Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs homology domain proteins were mutated to define their roles in plasma membrane function.

The Sur7 protein regulates plasma membrane organization and prevents intracellular cell wall growth in Candida albicans.

The Candida albicans plasma membrane plays important roles in cell growth and as a target for antifungal drugs. Analysis of Ca-Sur7 showed that this four transmembrane domain protein localized to stable punctate patches, similar to the plasma membrane subdomains known as eisosomes or MCC that were discovered in S. cerevisiae.

Expression and characterization of the flocculin Flo11/Muc1, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannoprotein with homotypic properties of adhesion.

The Flo11/Muc1 flocculin has diverse phenotypic effects. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells of strain background Sigma1278b require Flo11p to form pseudohyphae, invade agar, adhere to plastic, and develop biofilms, but they do not flocculate. We show that S.

Characteristics of Flo11-dependent flocculation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The FLO11-encoded flocculin is required for a variety of important phenotypes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, including flocculation, adhesion to agar and plastic, invasive growth, pseudohyphae formation and biofilm development. We present evidence that Flo11p belongs to the Flo1-type class of flocculins rather than to the NewFlo class. Both Flo1-type and NewFlo yeast flocculation are inhibited by mannose.

Cell cycle dynamics and quorum sensing in Candida albicans chlamydospores are distinct from budding and hyphal growth.

The regulation of morphogenesis in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans is under investigation to better understand how the switch between budding and hyphal growth is linked to virulence. Therefore, in this study we examined the ability of C. albicans to undergo a distinct type of morphogenesis to form large thick-walled chlamydospores whose role in infection is unclear, but they act as a resting form in other species.