Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis WdChs5p, a Class V Chitin Synthase, Is Essential for Sustained Cell Growth at Temperature of Infection
AUTOR(ES)
Liu, Hongbo
FONTE
American Society for Microbiology
RESUMO
The chitin synthase structural gene WdCHS5 was isolated from the black fungal pathogen of humans Wangiella dermatitidis. Sequence analysis revealed that the gene has a myosin motor-like-encoding region at its 5′ end and a chitin synthase (class V)-encoding region at its 3′ end. Northern blotting showed that WdCHS5 is expressed at high levels under conditions of stress. Analysis of the 5′ upstream region of WdCHS5 fused to a reporter gene indicated that one or more of the potential regulatory elements present may have contributed to the high expression levels. Disruption of WdCHS5 produced mutants that grow normally at 25°C but have severe growth and cellular abnormalities at 37°C. Osmotic stabilizers, such as sorbitol and sucrose, rescued the wild-type phenotype, which indicated that the loss of WdChs5p causes cell wall integrity defects. Animal survival tests with a mouse model of acute infection showed that all wdchs5Δ mutants are less virulent than the parental strain. Reintroduction of the WdCHS5 gene into the wdchs5Δ mutants abolished the temperature-sensitive phenotype and reestablished their virulence. We conclude that the product of WdCHS5 is required for the sustained growth of W. dermatitidis at 37°C and is of critical importance to its virulence.
ACESSO AO ARTIGO
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=329517Documentos Relacionados
- WdChs2p, a Class I Chitin Synthase, Together with WdChs3p (Class III) Contributes to Virulence in Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis
- WdChs4p, a Homolog of Chitin Synthase 3 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Alone Cannot Support Growth of Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis at the Temperature of Infection
- WdCHS3, a Gene That Encodes a Class III Chitin Synthase in Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis, Is Expressed Differentially under Stress Conditions
- Catheter-associated fungemia due to Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis.
- Molecular Cloning and Characterization of WdPKS1, a Gene Involved in Dihydroxynaphthalene Melanin Biosynthesis and Virulence in Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis