Project description:Constitutive overexpression of the Mdr1 efflux pump is an important mechanism of acquired drug resistance in the yeast Candida albicans. The zinc cluster transcription factor Mrr1 is a central regulator of MDR1 expression, but other transcription factors have also been implicated in MDR1 regulation. To better understand how MDR1-mediated drug resistance is achieved in this important fungal pathogen, we studied the interdependence of Mrr1 and two other MDR1 regulators, Upc2 and Cap1, in the control of MDR1 expression. A mutated, constitutively active Mrr1 could upregulate MDR1 and confer drug resistance in the absence of Upc2 or Cap1. On the other hand, Upc2 containing a gain-of-function mutation only slightly activated the MDR1 promoter, and this activation depended on the presence of a functional MRR1 gene. In contrast, a C-terminally truncated, activated form of Cap1 could upregulate MDR1 in a partially Mrr1-independent fashion. The induction of MDR1 expression by toxic chemicals occurred independently of Upc2, but required the presence of Mrr1 and also partially depended on Cap1. Transcriptional profiling and in vivo DNA binding studies showed that a constitutively active Mrr1 binds to and upregulates most of its direct target genes in the presence or absence of Cap1. Therefore, Mrr1 and Cap1 cooperate in the environmental induction of MDR1 expression in wild-type C. albicans, but gain-of-function mutations in either of the two transcription factors can independently mediate efflux pump overexpression and drug resistance.
Project description:Constitutive overexpression of the Mdr1 efflux pump is an important mechanism of acquired drug resistance in the yeast Candida albicans. The zinc cluster transcription factor Mrr1 is a central regulator of MDR1 expression, but other transcription factors have also been implicated in MDR1 regulation. To better understand how MDR1-mediated drug resistance is achieved in this important fungal pathogen, we studied the interdependence of Mrr1 and two other MDR1 regulators, Upc2 and Cap1, in the control of MDR1 expression. A mutated, constitutively active Mrr1 could upregulate MDR1 and confer drug resistance in the absence of Upc2 or Cap1. On the other hand, Upc2 containing a gain-of-function mutation only slightly activated the MDR1 promoter, and this activation depended on the presence of a functional MRR1 gene. In contrast, a C-terminally truncated, activated form of Cap1 could upregulate MDR1 in a partially Mrr1-independent fashion. The induction of MDR1 expression by toxic chemicals occurred independently of Upc2, but required the presence of Mrr1 and also partially depended on Cap1. Transcriptional profiling and in vivo DNA binding studies showed that a constitutively active Mrr1 binds to and upregulates most of its direct target genes in the presence or absence of Cap1. Therefore, Mrr1 and Cap1 cooperate in the environmental induction of MDR1 expression in wild-type C. albicans, but gain-of-function mutations in either of the two transcription factors can independently mediate efflux pump overexpression and drug resistance. We endeavored to determine how the function of a gain-of-function allele of MRR1 (shown to confer high-level azole resistance) is affected when the CAP1 gene is disrupted.
Project description:In Candida albicans, Upc2 is a zinc-cluster transcription factor that targets genes including those of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. To date there have been three documented UPC2 gain-of-function (GOF) mutations recovered from fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates that contribute to an increase in ERG11 expression and decreased fluconazole susceptibility. In a group of 62 fluconazole-resistant isolates, we found that 47 of these overexpressed ERG11 by at least two-fold over that of an average expression of 3 unrelated fluconazole susceptible strains. Of those 47 isolates, 29 contained a mutation in UPC2, whereas the remaining 18 isolates did not. Of the isolates containing mutations in UPC2, we recovered eight distinct mutations resulting in single putative amino acid substitutions: G648D, G648S, A643T, A643V, Y642F, G304R, A646V and W478C. Seven of these resulted in increased ERG11 expression, increased cellular ergosterol, and decreased susceptibility to fluconazole as compared to the wild-type strain. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis was performed for the four strongest Upc2 amino acid substitutions (A643V, G648D, G648S and Y642F). Genes commonly upregulated in all four mutations included those involved in ergosterol biosynthesis, in oxidoreductase activity, the major facilitator efflux pump encoded by the MDR1 gene, and the uncharacterized ATP binding cassette transporter CDR11. These findings demonstrate that gain-of-function mutations in UPC2 are more prevalent than previously thought among clinical isolates, make a significant contribution to azole antifungal resistance, but do not account for ERG11 overexpression in all such isolates of C. albicans.
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the following subset Series: GSE24073: Transcriptional profile of Candida albicans during Hypoxic conditions. GSE24074: Transcriptional profile of Candida albicans DAY286 culture without ketoconazole versus DAY286 culture with 0.04 μg/ml ketoconazole, both at 20% oxygen (normoxia). GSE24075: Transcriptional profile of Candida albicans DAY286 versus UPC2 delete, both at 1% oxygen (hypoxia). Refer to individual Series
Project description:In Candida albicans, Upc2 is a zinc-cluster transcription factor that targets genes including those of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. To date there have been three documented UPC2 gain-of-function (GOF) mutations recovered from fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates that contribute to an increase in ERG11 expression and decreased fluconazole susceptibility. In a group of 62 fluconazole-resistant isolates, we found that 47 of these overexpressed ERG11 by at least two-fold over that of an average expression of 3 unrelated fluconazole susceptible strains. Of those 47 isolates, 29 contained a mutation in UPC2, whereas the remaining 18 isolates did not. Of the isolates containing mutations in UPC2, we recovered eight distinct mutations resulting in single putative amino acid substitutions: G648D, G648S, A643T, A643V, Y642F, G304R, A646V and W478C. Seven of these resulted in increased ERG11 expression, increased cellular ergosterol, and decreased susceptibility to fluconazole as compared to the wild-type strain. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis was performed for the four strongest Upc2 amino acid substitutions (A643V, G648D, G648S and Y642F). Genes commonly upregulated in all four mutations included those involved in ergosterol biosynthesis, in oxidoreductase activity, the major facilitator efflux pump encoded by the MDR1 gene, and the uncharacterized ATP binding cassette transporter CDR11. These findings demonstrate that gain-of-function mutations in UPC2 are more prevalent than previously thought among clinical isolates, make a significant contribution to azole antifungal resistance, but do not account for ERG11 overexpression in all such isolates of C. albicans. We examined the expression of genes in response to the presence of 4 gain-of-function alleles of the zinc-cluster transcription factor Upc2. The global gene expression of each mutant Upc2 strain was compared to that of the wildtype strain SC5314.
Project description:Cap1p, a transcription factor of the basic region-leucine zipper family, controls the oxidative stress response in Candida albicans. It was shown that alteration of the C-terminal cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of Cap1p results in nuclear retention and constitutive transcriptional activation. To further characterize the function of Cap1p in C. albicans, we used genome-wide location profiling (ChIP-on-chip), allowing the identification of Cap1p-transcriptional targets in vivo. Location profiling using a tiled-oligonucleotide DNA microarray identified 89 targets that were bound by Cap1p-HA3 or Cap1p-CSE-HA3 (binding ratio ⥠2-fold, P ⤠0.01). Strikingly, Cap1p binding was not only detected at the promoter region of its target genes but also at their 3'-end and within their open-reading frame. Overrepresented functional groups of Cap1p targets (P ⤠0.02) included notably 11 genes involved in response to oxidative stress (CAP1, GLR1, TRX1, others), 13 genes involved in response to drug (PDR16, MDR1, FLU1, others) and 3 genes involved in regulation of nitrogen utilization (orf19.2693, orf19.3121 and GST3). Bioinformatic analyses suggested that Cap1p binds to the DNA motif 5'- MTKASTMA. Transcriptome analyses showed that increased expression of most of Cap1p targets accompanies Cap1p binding at these targets, indicating that Cap1p is a transcriptional activator. We conclude that, in addition to protecting the cell against oxidative stress, Cap1p appears to have other functions including drug resistance and the regulation of nitrogen utilization. The atypical binding pattern of Cap1p suggests that this transcription factor may associate with the transcriptional or the chromatin remodeling machinery to exert its activity. We performed three gene expression profile comparisons: (1) benomyl-induced gene expression in a strain containing wildtype CAP1 (CJD21/PMK-CAP1 +/- benomyl), (2) benomyl-induced gene expression in a strain where CAP1 is disrupted (CJD21/PMK +/- benomyl), and (3) gene expression in a strain containing a hyperactive allele of CAP1 compared to a strain containing wildtype CAP1 (CJD21/PMK-CAP1-CSE vs. CJD21/PMK-CAP1). There were three biological replicates (each drug-treated and untreated strain was grown/treated in three independent experiments). Since our Affymetrix platform requires each sample is hybridized on a separate chip, there is no dye-swapping. For each benomyl-treatment experiment (comparisons 1 and 2 above), the untreated (diluent-treated) samples are the reference samples. For comparison 3, the CJD21-PMK-CAP1 sample is the reference sample.
Project description:This study presents the first global transcriptional profiling and phenotypic characterization of the major human opportunistic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, grown in spaceflight conditions. Microarray analysis revealed that C. albicans subjected to short-term spaceflight culture differentially regulated 454 genes compared to synchronous ground controls, which represented 8.4% of the analyzed ORFs. Spaceflight-cultured C. albicans induced genes involved in cell aggregation (similar to flocculation), which was validated by microscopic and flow cytometry analysis. We also observed enhanced random budding of spaceflight-cultured cells as opposed to more normal bipolar budding patterns for ground samples, in accordance with the gene expression data. Furthermore, genes involved in antifungal agent and stress resistance were differentially regulated in spaceflight, including induction of ABC transporters and members of the major facilitator family, downregulation of ergosterol-encoding genes, and upregulation of genes involved in oxidative stress resistance. Finally, downregulation of genes involved in the actin cytoskeleton was observed. Interestingly, the transcriptional regulator Cap1 and over 30% of the Cap1 regulon was differentially expressed in spaceflight-cultured C. albicans. A potential role for Cap1 in the spaceflight response of C. albicans is suggested, as this regulator is involved in random budding, cell aggregation, actin cytoskeleton, and oxidative stress resistance; all related to observed spaceflight-associated changes of C. albicans. While culture of C. albicans in microgravity potentiates a global change in gene expression that could induce a virulence-related phenotype, no increased virulence in a murine intraperitoneal (i.p.) infection model was observed. This study represents an important basis for the assessment of the risk that commensal flora could play during spaceflight missions. Furthermore, since the low fluid-shear environment of microgravity is relevant to physical forces encountered by pathogens during the infection process, insights gained from this study could identify novel infectious disease mechanisms, with downstream benefits for the general public.