Open AccessCandida albicans RIM101 pH Response Pathway Is Required for Host-Pathogen Interactions
Author(s) -
Dana A. Davis,
John E. Edwards,
Aaron P. Mitchell,
Ashraf S. Ibrahim
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.68.10.5953-5959.2000
Subject(s) - candida albicans , biology , mutant , virulence , corpus albicans , microbiology and biotechnology , in vivo , gene , genetics
The ability ofCandida albicans to respond to diverse environments is critical for its success as a pathogen. TheRIM101 pathway controls gene expression and the yeast-to-hyphal transition inC. albicans in response to changes in environmental pH in vitro. In this study, we found that theRIM101 pathway is necessary in vivo for pathogenesis. First, we show thatrim101− /rim101− andrim8− /rim8− mutants have a significant reduction in virulence using the mouse model of hematogenously disseminated systemic candidiasis. Second, these mutants show a marked reduction in kidney pathology. Third, therim101− /rim101− andrim8− /rim8− mutants show defects in the ability to damage endothelial cells in situ. Finally, we show that an activated allele ofRIM101 ,RIM101-405 , is a suppressor of therim8− mutation in vivo as it rescues the virulence, histological, and endothelial damage defects of therim8− /rim8− mutant. These results demonstrate that theRIM101 pathway is required forC. albicans virulence in vivo and that the function of Rim8p in pathogenesis is to activate Rim101p.