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Mol Cell Biol

Title:		Identification and characterization of a Candida albicans mating pheromone
Author(s):		Bennett RJ; Uhl MA; Miller MG; Johnson AD;
Address:		"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California-San Francisco, 600 16th Street, Suite N372, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA"
Journal Title:		Mol Cell Biol
Year:		2003
Volume:		23
Issue:		22
Page Number:		8189 - 8201
DOI:		10.1128/MCB.23.22.8189-8201.2003
ISSN/ISBN:		0270-7306 (Print) 1098-5549 (Electronic) 0270-7306 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Candida albicans, the most prevalent fungal pathogen of humans, has recently been shown to undergo mating. Here we describe a mating pheromone produced by C. albicans alpha cells and show that the gene which encodes it (MFalpha) is required for alpha cells, but not a cells, to mate. We also identify the receptor for this mating pheromone as the product of the STE2 gene and show that this gene is required for the mating of a cells, but not alpha cells. Cells of the a mating type respond to the alpha mating pheromone by producing long polarized projections, similar to those observed in bona fide mating mixtures of C. albicans a and alpha cells. During this process, transcription of approximately 62 genes is induced. Although some of these genes correspond to those induced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by S. cerevisiae alpha-factor, most are specific to the C. albicans pheromone response. The most surprising class encode cell surface and secreted proteins previously implicated in virulence of C. albicans in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis. This observation suggests that aspects of cell-cell communication in mating may have been evolutionarily adopted for host-pathogen interactions in C. albicans"
Keywords:		"Amino Acid Sequence Animals Candida albicans/genetics/pathogenicity/*physiology Candidiasis/etiology Fungal Proteins/genetics/isolation & purification/*physiology Gene Expression Profiling Genes, Fungal Genes, Mating Type, Fungal Humans Mating Factor Mice;"
Notes:		"MedlineBennett, Richard J Uhl, M Andrew Miller, Mathew G Johnson, Alexander D eng R01 AI049187/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 AI 49187/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 2003/10/31 Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Nov; 23(22):8189-201. doi: 10.1128/MCB.23.22.8189-8201.2003"