RNA sequencing reveals an additional Crz1-binding motif in promoters of its target genes in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

Background: The calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway is mediated by the transcription factors NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) in mammals and Crz1 (calcineurin-responsive zinc finger 1) in yeasts and other lower eukaryotes. A previous microarray analysis identified a putative Crz1-binding motif in promoters of its target genes in Candida albicans, but it has not been experimentally demonstrated.

Methods: An inactivation mutant for CaCRZ1 was generated through CRISPR/Cas9 approach. Transcript profiling was carried out by RNA sequencing of the wild type and the inactivation mutant for CaCRZ1 in response to 0.2 M CaCl. Gene promoters were scanned by the online MEME (Multiple Em for Motif Elicitation) software. Gel electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis were used for in vitro and in vivo CaCrz1-binding experiments, respectively.

Results: RNA sequencing reveals that expression of 219 genes is positively, and expression of 59 genes is negatively, controlled by CaCrz1 in response to calcium stress. These genes function in metabolism, cell cycling, protein fate, cellular transport, signal transduction, transcription, and cell wall biogenesis. Forty of these positively regulated 219 genes have previously been identified by DNA microarray analysis. Promoter analysis of these common 40 genes reveals a consensus motif [5'-GGAGGC(G/A)C(T/A)G-3'], which is different from the putative CaCrz1-binding motif [5'-G(C/T)GGT-3'] identified in the previous study, but similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScCrz1-binding motif [5'-GNGGC(G/T)CA-3']. EMSA and ChIP assays indicate that CaCrz1 binds in vitro and in vivo to both motifs in the promoter of its target gene CaUTR2. Promoter mutagenesis demonstrates that these two CaCrz1-binding motifs play additive roles in the regulation of CaUTR2 expression. In addition, the CaCRZ1 gene is positively regulated by CaCrz1. CaCrz1 can bind in vitro and in vivo to its own promoter, suggesting an autoregulatory mechanism for CaCRZ1 expression.

Conclusions: CaCrz1 differentially binds to promoters of its target genes to regulate their expression in response to calcium stress. CaCrz1 also regulates its own expression through the 5'-TGAGGGACTG-3' site in its promoter. Video abstract.