Candida albicans Dbf4-dependent Cdc7 kinase plays a novel role in the inhibition of hyphal development.

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen. The ability to switch among multiple cellular forms is key to its pathogenesis. The Dbf4-dependent protein kinase gene CDC7 is conserved due to its role in initiating DNA replication. Because a C. albicans Cdc7 (Cacdc7) homozygous null was not viable, we generated a C. albicans strain with a deleted C. albicans CDC7 (CaCDC7) allele and an expression-repressible allele. Surprisingly, cells of the strain grew as hyphae under the repressed conditions. The in vitro kinase assays confirmed that CaCdc7 (K232) and CaCdc7 (T437) are critical for catalytic and phosphoacceptor of activation activity, respectively. C. albicans cells formed hyphae when expressing either the catalytically inactive CaCdc7 (K232R) or the phosphoacceptor-deficien

SUBMITTER: Lai WC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5028767 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature