Phenotypic switching in Candida glabrata involves phase-specific regulation of the metallothionein gene MT-II and the newly discovered hemolysin gene HLP.

ABSTRACT: Although Candida glabrata has emerged in recent years as a major fungal pathogen, there have been no reports demonstrating that it undergoes either the bud-hypha transition or high-frequency phenotypic switching, two developmental programs believed to contribute to the pathogenic success of other Candida species. Here it is demonstrated that C. glabrata undergoes reversible, high-frequency phenotypic switching between a white (Wh), light brown (LB), and dark brown (DB) colony phenotype discriminated on an indicator agar containing 1 mM CuSO(4). Switching regulates the transcript level of the MT-II metallothionein gene(s) and a newly discovered gene for a hemolysin-like protein, HLP. The relative MT-II transcript levels in Wh, LB, and DB cells grown in the presence of CuSO(4) are 1:27:81, a

SUBMITTER: Lachke SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC97218 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature