Open AccessIsolation of the Pneumocystis carinii dihydrofolate synthase gene and functional complementation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Author(s) -
Hauser Philippe M.,
Macreadie Ian G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00118.x
Subject(s) - pneumocystis carinii , biology , complementation , saccharomyces cerevisiae , dihydrofolate reductase , gene , schizosaccharomyces pombe , enzyme , mutant , genetics , biochemistry , pneumocystis jirovecii , virology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
The Pneumocystis carinii gene encoding the enzyme dihydrofolate synthase (DHFS), which is involved in the essential biosynthesis of folates, was isolated from clones of the Pneumocystis genome project, and sequenced. The deduced P. carinii DHFS protein shares 38% and 35% identity with DHFS of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae , respectively. P. carinii DHFS expressed from a plasmid functionally complemented a S. cerevisiae mutant with no DHFS. Comparison of available DHFSs with highly similar folylpolyglutamate synthases allowed the identification of potential signatures responsible for the specificities of these two classes of enzymes. The results open the way to experimentally analyse the structure and function of P. carinii mono‐functional enzyme DHFS, to investigate a possible role of DHFS in the resistance to antifolates of P. jirovecii , the species infecting specifically humans, and to develop a new class of antifolates.