Event Title
Analysis of the Role of Phosphatase 2A Components in Candida albicans Hyphal Development
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Biomedical Sciences
Mentor Information
Derek Thomas
Department
Biomedical Sciences
Location
Kirkhof Center KC 78
Start Date
10-4-2013 1:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2013 2:00 PM
Keywords
Life Science
Abstract
Candida albicans has the ability to form hyphae, which is fundamentally linked to the virulence of this organism. Proteomic and microarray analysis revealed the involvement of the genes Orf19.1468 and Orf19.7504 in hypha formation. These two C. albicans genes are predicted to encode Cdc55p and Rts3p respectively, which in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are two components of the protein phosphatase 2A complex. A C. albicans strain lacking RTS3 shows no increased sensitivity to rapamycin, but is more sensitive to nourseothricin than a wild-type strain. In our modified tet-NRG1 strain, hypha formation in embedded conditions is strongly impaired when NRG1 is over-expressed. However, the absence of RTS3 restores the ability to filament under embedded growth conditions as does the over expression of CDC55. However, the response is different than simple oxygen limitation. We are now further examining the specific contributions of these two proteins to hyphal development in C. albicans.
Analysis of the Role of Phosphatase 2A Components in Candida albicans Hyphal Development
Kirkhof Center KC 78
Candida albicans has the ability to form hyphae, which is fundamentally linked to the virulence of this organism. Proteomic and microarray analysis revealed the involvement of the genes Orf19.1468 and Orf19.7504 in hypha formation. These two C. albicans genes are predicted to encode Cdc55p and Rts3p respectively, which in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are two components of the protein phosphatase 2A complex. A C. albicans strain lacking RTS3 shows no increased sensitivity to rapamycin, but is more sensitive to nourseothricin than a wild-type strain. In our modified tet-NRG1 strain, hypha formation in embedded conditions is strongly impaired when NRG1 is over-expressed. However, the absence of RTS3 restores the ability to filament under embedded growth conditions as does the over expression of CDC55. However, the response is different than simple oxygen limitation. We are now further examining the specific contributions of these two proteins to hyphal development in C. albicans.