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Screens of C. albicans deletion collections in the murine reveals role for filamentation transcription factors

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans is a human gut commensal and an opportunistic pathogen. The ability to transition from yeasts to invasive hyphae is a central virulence attribute, but it is unclear how these two cell types function during commensal growth. Using FISH to visualize C. albicans in a murine gut colonization model, we observed the co-occurrence of yeasts and hyphae throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Forward genetic analysis revealed that major transcriptional activators of yeast-to-hypha morphogenesis have unexpected activity as potent inhibitors of commensalism. In vivo FISH, transcriptomic, and genetic analyses indicate that the morphogenesis program inhibits commensal fitness, not through control of cell shape as expected from in vitro studies, but by activating expression of a hypha-specific pro-inflammatory secreted protease and a hyphal cell surface adhesin. These results reveal a tradeoff between fungal programs supporting commensalism and virulence within the commensal niche in which selection against hypha-specific markers limits the disease-causing potential of this ubiquitous commensal-pathogen.

ORGANISM(S): Candida albicans

PROVIDER: GSE124139 | GEO | 2018/12/31

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis are closely related species displaying differences in virulence and genome content, therefore providing potential opportunities to identify novel C. albicans virulence genes. C. albicans gene arrays were used for comparative analysis of global gene expression in the two species in reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHE). C. albicans (SC5314) showed upregulation of hypha-specific and virulence genes within 30 min postinoculation, coinciding with rapid induction of filamentation and increased RHE damage. C. dubliniensis (CD36) showed no detectable upregulation of hypha-specific genes, grew as yeast, and caused limited RHE damage. Several genes absent or highly divergent in C. dubliniensis were upregulated in C. albicans. One such gene, SFL2 (orf19.3969), encoding a putative heat shock factor, was deleted in C. albicans. ÎÎsfl2 cells failed to filament under a range of hypha-inducing conditions and exhibited greatly reduced RHE damage, reversed by reintroduction of SFL2 into the ÎÎsfl2 strain. Moreover, SFL2 overexpression in C. albicans triggered hyphal morphogenesis. Although SFL2 deletion had no apparent effect on host survival in the murine model of systemic infection, ÎÎsfl2 strain-infected kidney tissues contained only yeast cells. These results suggest a role for SFL2 in morphogenesis and an indirect role in C. albicans pathogenesis in epithelial tissues. Global gene expression in Candida albicans SC5314 or Candida dubliniensis CD36 on reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHE) 90 min postinoculation. Gene expression on RHE was compared to gene expression on polycarbonate filter (PCF; used as RHE support matrix) 90 min postinoculation. Performed in two biological replicates with reciprocal dye swaps for each biological replicate. Gene expression of Candida cells on RHE was normalized to gene expression in reference control (PCF); log2 ratios were calculated by dividing spot intensity of experimental by that of the reference control.

Project description:Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis are closely related species displaying differences in virulence and genome content, therefore providing potential opportunities to identify novel C. albicans virulence genes. C. albicans gene arrays were used for comparative analysis of global gene expression in the two species in reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHE). C. albicans (SC5314) showed upregulation of hypha-specific and virulence genes within 30 min postinoculation, coinciding with rapid induction of filamentation and increased RHE damage. C. dubliniensis (CD36) showed no detectable upregulation of hypha-specific genes, grew as yeast, and caused limited RHE damage. Several genes absent or highly divergent in C. dubliniensis were upregulated in C. albicans. One such gene, SFL2 (orf19.3969), encoding a putative heat shock factor, was deleted in C. albicans. ÎÎsfl2 cells failed to filament under a range of hypha-inducing conditions and exhibited greatly reduced RHE damage, reversed by reintroduction of SFL2 into the ÎÎsfl2 strain. Moreover, SFL2 overexpression in C. albicans triggered hyphal morphogenesis. Although SFL2 deletion had no apparent effect on host survival in the murine model of systemic infection, ÎÎsfl2 strain-infected kidney tissues contained only yeast cells. These results suggest a role for SFL2 in morphogenesis and an indirect role in C. albicans pathogenesis in epithelial tissues. Global gene expression in Candida albicans SC5314 or Candida dubliniensis CD36 on reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHE) 30 min postinoculation. Gene expression on RHE was compared to gene expression in cells used as inoculum (0 min). Performed in three biological replicates with dye swaps across the biological replicates. Gene expression of Candida cells on RHE was normalized to gene expression in reference control (0 min); log2 ratios were calculated by dividing spot intensity of experimental by that of the reference control.

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Screens of C. albicans deletion collections in the murine reveals role for filamentation transcription factors

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