Project description:Single-celled organisms have different strategies to sense and utilize nutrients in their ever-changing environments. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a common member of the human microbiota, especially that of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. An important question concerns how C. albicans gained a competitive advantage over other microbes to become a successful commensal and opportunistic pathogen. Here, we report that C. albicans uses N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), an abundant carbon source present in the GI tract, as a signal for nutrient availability. When placed in water, C. albicans cells normally enter the G0 phase and remain viable for weeks. However, they quickly lose viability when cultured in water containing only GlcNAc. We term this phenomenon GlcNAc-induced cell death (GICD). GlcNAc triggers the upregulation of ribosomalbiogenesis genes, alterations of mitochondrial metabolism, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), followed by rapid cell death via both apoptotic and necrotic mechanisms. Multiple pathways, including the conserved cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling and GlcNAc catabolic pathways, are involved in GICD. GlcNAc acts as a signaling molecule to regulate multiple cellular programs in a coordinated manner and therefore maximizes the efficiency of nutrient use. This adaptive behavior allows C. albicans’ more efficient colonization of the gut. Expression profiles of Candida alibcans in three different 5 hours) were determined by high throughput sequencing technology.
Project description:Candida albicans is associated with humans as both a harmless commensal organism and a pathogen. Cph2 is a transcription factor whose DNA binding domain is similar to mammalian sterol response element binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs are master regulators of cellular cholesterol levels, and are highly conserved from fungi to mammals. However, ergosterol biosynthesis is regulated by the zinc finger transcription factor Upc2 in C. albicans and several other yeasts. Cph2 is not necessary for ergosterol biosynthesis, but important for colonization in the murine gastrointestinal tract. Here we demonstrate that Cph2 is a membrane-associated transcription factor that is processed to release the N-terminal DNA binding domain like SREBPs; but its cleavage is not regulated by cellular levels of ergosterol or oxygen. ChIP-Seq shows that Cph2 binds to the promoters of HMS1 and other components of the regulatory circuit for GI tract colonization. In addition, 50% of Cph2 targets are also bound by Hms1 and other factors of the regulatory circuit. Several common targets function at the head of the glycolysis pathway. Thus, Cph2 is an integral part of the regulatory circuit for GI colonization that regulates glycolytic flux. RNA-seq shows a significant overlap in genes differentially regulated by Cph2 and hypoxia, and Cph2 is important for optimal expression of some hypoxia-responsive genes in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. We suggest that Cph2 and Upc2 regulate hypoxia-responsive expression in different pathways, consistent with a synthetic lethal defect of the cph2 upc2 double mutant in hypoxia. Genome binding/occupancy profiling by high throughput sequencing. ChIP-seq of Cph2 was carried out in a wild-type strain carrying N-terminal myc-tagged Cph2 under the MAL2 promoter (MAL2-myc-Cph2N). IP and INPUT samples from 2 independent experiments, as well as a sample of untagged wild-type control, were sequenced.
Project description:The goals of this study were to identify the Efg1p-regulon during GI tract colonization and to compare C. albicans gene expression during colonization of different organs of the GI tract. Our results identified significant differences in gene expression between cells colonizing the cecum and ileum. In addition, during laboratory growth, efg1- null mutant cells grew to a higher density than WT cells. The efg1- null mutant grew in depleted medium, while WT cells could only grow if the depleted medium was supplemented with carnitine, a compound that promotes the metabolism of fatty acids. During colonization, efg1- null mutant cells expressed higher levels of genes involved in lipid catabolism, carnitine biosynthesis and carnitine utilization in comparison to colonizing WT cells. This altered gene expression supports the ability of efg1- cells to hypercolonize naïve mice. C. albicans cells (WT, efg1-, efg1- efh1- or efg1- cph1-) were inoculated into antibiotic-treated BALB/c mice by oral gavage. Contents of the cecum and ileum were collected and frozen in RNALater. Reference cells (WT C. albicans) were grown in YPD medium at 37oC to exponential phase. Total RNA was extracted from both all samples. Sample of C. albicans isolated from GI tract organs was compared to reference on microarray. Between 4 and 7 microarray hybridizations, with dye swaps, were performed for each sample.
Project description:Single-celled organisms have different strategies to sense and utilize nutrients in their ever-changing environments. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a common member of the human microbiota, especially that of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. An important question concerns how C. albicans gained a competitive advantage over other microbes to become a successful commensal and opportunistic pathogen. Here, we report that C. albicans uses N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), an abundant carbon source present in the GI tract, as a signal for nutrient availability. When placed in water, C. albicans cells normally enter the G0 phase and remain viable for weeks. However, they quickly lose viability when cultured in water containing only GlcNAc. We term this phenomenon GlcNAc-induced cell death (GICD). GlcNAc triggers the upregulation of ribosomalbiogenesis genes, alterations of mitochondrial metabolism, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), followed by rapid cell death via both apoptotic and necrotic mechanisms. Multiple pathways, including the conserved cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling and GlcNAc catabolic pathways, are involved in GICD. GlcNAc acts as a signaling molecule to regulate multiple cellular programs in a coordinated manner and therefore maximizes the efficiency of nutrient use. This adaptive behavior allows C. albicans’ more efficient colonization of the gut.
Project description:Candida albicans is associated with humans as both a harmless commensal organism and a pathogen. Cph2 is a transcription factor whose DNA binding domain is similar to mammalian sterol response element binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs are master regulators of cellular cholesterol levels, and are highly conserved from fungi to mammals. However, ergosterol biosynthesis is regulated by the zinc finger transcription factor Upc2 in C. albicans and several other yeasts. Cph2 is not necessary for ergosterol biosynthesis, but important for colonization in the murine gastrointestinal tract. Here we demonstrate that Cph2 is a membrane-associated transcription factor that is processed to release the N-terminal DNA binding domain like SREBPs; but its cleavage is not regulated by cellular levels of ergosterol or oxygen. ChIP-Seq shows that Cph2 binds to the promoters of HMS1 and other components of the regulatory circuit for GI tract colonization. In addition, 50% of Cph2 targets are also bound by Hms1 and other factors of the regulatory circuit. Several common targets function at the head of the glycolysis pathway. Thus, Cph2 is an integral part of the regulatory circuit for GI colonization that regulates glycolytic flux. RNA-seq shows a significant overlap in genes differentially regulated by Cph2 and hypoxia, and Cph2 is important for optimal expression of some hypoxia-responsive genes in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. We suggest that Cph2 and Upc2 regulate hypoxia-responsive expression in different pathways, consistent with a synthetic lethal defect of the cph2 upc2 double mutant in hypoxia.
Project description:Candida albicans is associated with humans as both a harmless commensal organism and a pathogen. Cph2 is a transcription factor whose DNA binding domain is similar to mammalian sterol response element binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs are master regulators of cellular cholesterol levels, and are highly conserved from fungi to mammals. However, ergosterol biosynthesis is regulated by the zinc finger transcription factor Upc2 in C. albicans and several other yeasts. Cph2 is not necessary for ergosterol biosynthesis, but important for colonization in the murine gastrointestinal tract. Here we demonstrate that Cph2 is a membrane-associated transcription factor that is processed to release the N-terminal DNA binding domain like SREBPs; but its cleavage is not regulated by cellular levels of ergosterol or oxygen. ChIP-Seq shows that Cph2 binds to the promoters of HMS1 and other components of the regulatory circuit for GI tract colonization. In addition, 50% of Cph2 targets are also bound by Hms1 and other factors of the regulatory circuit. Several common targets function at the head of the glycolysis pathway. Thus, Cph2 is an integral part of the regulatory circuit for GI colonization that regulates glycolytic flux. RNA-seq shows a significant overlap in genes differentially regulated by Cph2 and hypoxia, and Cph2 is important for optimal expression of some hypoxia-responsive genes in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. We suggest that Cph2 and Upc2 regulate hypoxia-responsive expression in different pathways, consistent with a synthetic lethal defect of the cph2 upc2 double mutant in hypoxia. Expression profiling by high throughput sequencing. RNA sequencing was performed on wild type and cph2 deletion strains. 2 biological replicates were sequenced for each strain.
Project description:Goal: We employed RNA-seq to identify targets of regulation of five Candida albicans transcription regulators (Try4, Zfu2 and Zcf8). These regulators were identifyed through a genetic screen in a gnotobiotic mouse model of Candida albicans gut colonization. Results: We found that the five regulators comprise a complex transcriptional network (>500 targets of regulation) that partitions in two sub-networks. One sub-network is formed by Rtg1 and Rtg3. The other comprises the regulators Try4, Zfu2 and Zcf8.
Project description:Candida albicans is part of the human gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota. To better understand how C. albicans efficiently establishes GI colonisation, we competitively challenged growth of 572 signature-tagged strains (~10% genome coverage), each conditionally overexpressing a single gene, in the murine gut. We identified CRZ2, a transcription factor whose overexpression and deletion respectively increased and decreased early GI colonisation. Using clues from genome-wide expression and gene-set enrichment analyses, we found that the optimal activity of Crz2p occurs under hypoxia at 37°C, as evidenced by both phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses following CRZ2 genetic perturbation. Consistent with early colonisation of the GI tract, we show that CRZ2 overexpression confers resistance to acidic pH and bile salts, suggesting an adaptation to the upper sections of the gut. Genome-wide location analyses revealed that Crz2p directly modulates the expression of many mannosyltransferase- and cell-wall protein-encoding genes, suggesting a link with cell-wall function. We show that CRZ2 overexpression alters cell-wall phosphomannan abundance and increases sensitivity to tunicamycin, suggesting a role in protein glycosylation. Our study reflects the powerful use of gene overexpression as a complementary approach to gene deletion to identify relevant biological pathways involved in C. albicans interaction with the host environment.
Project description:Candida albicans is associated with humans as both a harmless commensal organism and a pathogen. Cph2 is a transcription factor whose DNA binding domain is similar to mammalian sterol response element binding proteins (SREBPs). SREBPs are master regulators of cellular cholesterol levels, and are highly conserved from fungi to mammals. However, ergosterol biosynthesis is regulated by the zinc finger transcription factor Upc2 in C. albicans and several other yeasts. Cph2 is not necessary for ergosterol biosynthesis, but important for colonization in the murine gastrointestinal tract. Here we demonstrate that Cph2 is a membrane-associated transcription factor that is processed to release the N-terminal DNA binding domain like SREBPs; but its cleavage is not regulated by cellular levels of ergosterol or oxygen. ChIP-Seq shows that Cph2 binds to the promoters of HMS1 and other components of the regulatory circuit for GI tract colonization. In addition, 50% of Cph2 targets are also bound by Hms1 and other factors of the regulatory circuit. Several common targets function at the head of the glycolysis pathway. Thus, Cph2 is an integral part of the regulatory circuit for GI colonization that regulates glycolytic flux. RNA-seq shows a significant overlap in genes differentially regulated by Cph2 and hypoxia, and Cph2 is important for optimal expression of some hypoxia-responsive genes in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. We suggest that Cph2 and Upc2 regulate hypoxia-responsive expression in different pathways, consistent with a synthetic lethal defect of the cph2 upc2 double mutant in hypoxia.
Project description:The goals of this study were to identify the Efg1p-regulon during GI tract colonization and to compare C. albicans gene expression during colonization of different organs of the GI tract. Our results identified significant differences in gene expression between cells colonizing the cecum and ileum. In addition, during laboratory growth, efg1- null mutant cells grew to a higher density than WT cells. The efg1- null mutant grew in depleted medium, while WT cells could only grow if the depleted medium was supplemented with carnitine, a compound that promotes the metabolism of fatty acids. During colonization, efg1- null mutant cells expressed higher levels of genes involved in lipid catabolism, carnitine biosynthesis and carnitine utilization in comparison to colonizing WT cells. This altered gene expression supports the ability of efg1- cells to hypercolonize naïve mice.