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The Swi/Snf chromatin remodeling complex is essential for hyphal development in Candida albicans
Author(s) -
Mao Xuming,
Cao Fang,
Nie Xinyi,
Liu Haoping,
Chen Jiangye
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.04.009
Subject(s) - candida albicans , mutant , corpus albicans , hypha , biology , yeast , virulence , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics
The ability of dimorphic transition between yeast and hyphal forms in Candida albicans is one of the vital determinants for its pathogenicity and virulence. We isolated C. albicans SWI1 as a suppressor of the invasive growth defect in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant. Expression of C. albicans SWI1 in S. cerevisiae partially complemented the growth defect of a swi1 mutant in the utilization of glycerol. Swi1 is in a complex with Snf2 in C. albicans , and both proteins are localized in the nucleus independent of the growth form. Deleting SWI1 or SNF2 in C. albicans prevented true hyphal formation and resulted in constitutive pseudohypha‐like growth in all media examined. Furthermore, swi1/swi1 mutant was defective in hypha‐specific gene expression and avirulent in a mouse model of systemic infection. These data strongly suggest the conserved Swi/Snf complex in C. albicans is required for hyphal development and pathogenicity.