A conserved G protein (Drg1p) plays a role in regulation of invasive filamentation in Candida albicans

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
During infection, the opportunistic fungal pathogenCandida albicansgrows invasively into the tissues of its host, forming filaments that penetrate the host tissue. To search for genes that are important for invasive filamentation, a screen for mutants that were defective in invasion of agar medium was conducted. A mutant carrying an insertion mutation in the locus of a gene, termed hereDRG1, was identified.DRG1encodes a highly conserved cytoplasmic G protein, with orthologues in the genomes of organisms from humans to yeast and archaea.C. albicansstrains lacking Drg1p were defective in producing filaments that penetrated agar media, but produced filaments normally under other conditions, such as during liquid growth. When inoculated intravenously into mice, thedrg1null mutant caused delayed lethality accompanied by delayed invasive growth in the kidneys of the host, in comparison with those of the wild-type strain. These results implicate Drg1p in the control of invasive filamentation in the laboratory, and in the progression of invasive disease in the host.