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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary data Corrigendum Corrigendum (v155,p2112) All Versions of this Article: mic.0.027532-0v1 155/5/1536    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kelly, M. N. Articles by Sturtevant, J. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kelly, M. N. Articles by Sturtevant, J. E. Agricola Articles by Kelly, M. N. Articles by Sturtevant, J. E.

Bmh1p (14-3-3) mediates pathways associated with virulence in Candida albicans

Michelle N. Kelly^1,

Douglas A. Johnston^1,

¹ Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1901 Perdido St, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
² Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
³ School of Dentistry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1100 Florida Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA

The ability of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans to cause disease requires rapid adaptation to changes in the host environment and to an evolving host immune response. The identification of ‘virulence factors’ using in vitro characterization of mutant strains has traditionally relied on a common set of phenotypic and biochemical assays (most often performed at 30 °C) and the subsequent correlation with their corresponding virulence in mouse models of disease. Utilizing a panel of isogenic mutants for the multifunctional signal-modulating 14-3-3 protein (Bmh1p), we have found that specific mutations affect a variety of different pathways currently associated with virulence, including those involved with the formation of filaments, as well as interaction with host immune cells. Surprisingly, our studies revealed that deficiencies in many of these pathways do not always correlate with virulence in a mouse model of disseminated infection. Mutations within the binding pocket of Bmh1p that affect the ability of the protein to efficiently bind ligand had varying effects on the results of a number of in vitro and in vivo assays. The capability, in vitro, to filament in embedment conditions, and to filament and form chlamydospores under microaerophilic conditions on cornmeal agar, does not correlate with virulence. It is likely that only a subset of hyphal signalling pathways is actually required for the establishment of infection in the disseminated mouse model. Most importantly, our results suggest that the delayed onset of lag-phase growth in vitro at 37 °C, and not at 30 °C, results in an inability of these mutants to rapidly adjust to environmental changes in vivo and may be responsible for their increased clearance and reduced virulence. It is critical, therefore, that future in vitro studies of putative virulence factors in C. albicans include careful characterization at physiological temperatures.

Correspondence
Joy E. Sturtevant
jsturt{at}lsuhsc.edu

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Three supplementary figures, showing C. albicans association with and ingestion by J774A.1 cells, immunopathology of mouse kidneys 48 h post-infection, and growth curves at 37 °C, are available with the online version of this paper.