The Als3 Cell Wall Adhesin Plays a Critical Role in Human Serum Amyloid A1-Induced Cell Death and Aggregation in Candida albicans
Jiao Gong, Jian Bing, Guobo Guan, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides and proteins play critical roles in the host defense against invading pathogens. We recently discovered that recombinantly expressed human and mouse serum amyloid A1 (rhSAA1 and rmSAA1, respectively) proteins have potent antifungal activities against the major human fungal pathogen Candida albicans . At high concentrations, rhSAA1 disrupts C. albicans membrane integrity and induces rapid fungal cell death. In the present study, we find that rhSAA1 promotes cell aggregation and targets the C. albicans cell wall adhesin Als3.
Topics & Concepts
Candida albicansBacterial adhesinCorpus albicansMicrobiologyCell wallAmyloid (mycology)BiologyCellProgrammed cell deathBiofilmCell membraneCell biologyVirulenceBiochemistryBacteriaGeneApoptosisBotanyGeneticsAntifungal resistance and susceptibilityFungal Infections and StudiesPeptidase Inhibition and Analysis