Glutathione utilization by Candida albicans requires a functional glutathione degradation (DUG) pathway and OPT7, an unusual member of the oligopeptide transporter family.

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans lacks the ability to survive within its mammalian host in the absence of endogenous glutathione biosynthesis. To examine the ability of this yeast to utilize exogenous glutathione, we exploited the organic sulfur auxotrophy of C. albicans met15Δ strains. We observed that glutathione is utilized efficiently by the alternative pathway of glutathione degradation (DUG pathway). The major oligopeptide transporters OPT1-OPT5 of C. albicans that were most similar to the known yeast glutathione transporters were not found to contribute to glutathione transport to any significant extent. A genomic library approach to identify the glutathione transporter of C. albicans yielded OPT7 as the primary glutathione transporter. Biochemical studies on OPT7 using radiolabeled GSH uptake reve

SUBMITTER: Desai PR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3308832 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature