Als3 is a Candida albicans invasin that binds to cadherins and induces endocytosis by host cells.

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans is the most common cause of hematogenously disseminated and oropharyngeal candidiasis. Both of these diseases are characterized by fungal invasion of host cells. Previously, we have found that C. albicans hyphae invade endothelial cells and oral epithelial cells in vitro by inducing their own endocytosis. Therefore, we set out to identify the fungal surface protein and host cell receptors that mediate this process. We found that the C. albicans Als3 is required for the organism to be endocytosed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells and two different human oral epithelial lines. Affinity purification experiments with wild-type and an als3delta/als3delta mutant strain of C. albicans demonstrated that Als3 was required for C. albicans to bind to multiple host cell surfac

SUBMITTER: Phan QT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1802757 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature