Arsenic inorganic compounds cause oxidative stress mediated by the transcription factor PHO4 in Candida albicans.

Microbiol Res

Departamento de Microbiología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Plaza de Ramón y Cajal s/n, E-28040, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address:

Published: October 2017

AI Article Synopsis

  • Arsenic is a toxic metalloid found in nature, and recent studies highlight the role of the transcription factor Pho4 in helping Candida albicans tolerate arsenic-derived compounds like arsenite and arsenate.
  • In wild type Candida cells, exposure to arsenite and arsenate increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and activates protective enzymes, indicating the oxidative stress these compounds cause.
  • Pho4 null mutants showed reduced ROS production and different responses to arsenic, suggesting Pho4 is crucial for the yeast's antioxidant defense, with arsenite triggering specific enzymes that arsenate does not.

Article Abstract

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid widespread in nature. Recently, it has been demonstrated a main role of the transcription factor Pho4 in the acquisition of tolerance to arsenic-derived compounds, arsenite and arsenate in Candida albicans. Here, the effect of these compounds on this pathogenic yeast has been analyzed. In wild type cells, both arsenite and arsenate induced a marked increase in the endogenous production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), together with the accumulation of intracellular trehalose and the activation of catalase, suggesting their role as generators of oxidative stress in this yeast. However, a pho4 null mutant showed a minor increase of intracellular ROS and a different kinetics of catalase activation upon exposure to arsenite and arsenate. Interestingly, the enzymatic activity of glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase were exclusively triggered by arsenite but not by arsenate. pho4 mutant cells were also found to be sensitive to azide but significantly resistant to arsenate through a process dependent on an active electron transport chain and the alternative oxidase system. Therefore, arsenic-derived compounds induce a strong antioxidant response in C.albicans via different mechanisms.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2017.06.004DOI Listing

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