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Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Blankenship, JR; Wormley, FL; Boyce, MK; Schell, WA; Filler, SG; Perfect, JR; Heitman, J
Published in: Eukaryot Cell
June 2003

Calcineurin is a calcium-activated protein phosphatase that is the target of the immunosuppressants cyclosporin A and FK506. In T cells, calcineurin controls nuclear import of the NF-AT transcription factor and gene activation. In plants and fungi, calcineurin functions in stress responses (e.g., temperature, cations, and pH) and is necessary for the virulence of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Here we show that calcineurin is also required for the virulence of another major fungus that is pathogenic to humans, Candida albicans. C. albicans calcineurin mutants had significantly reduced virulence in a murine model of systemic infection. In contrast to its role in C. neoformans, calcineurin was not required for C. albicans survival at 37 degrees C. Moreover, C. albicans calcineurin mutant strains exhibited no defects in known Candida virulence traits associated with host invasion, including filamentous growth, germ tube formation, and adherence to and injury of mammalian cells. C. albicans calcineurin mutant strains failed to colonize and grow in the kidneys of infected animals and were unable to survive when exposed to serum in vitro. Our studies illustrate that calcineurin has evolved to control aspects of the virulence of two divergent fungal pathogens via distinct mechanisms that can be targeted to achieve broad-spectrum antifungal action.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Eukaryot Cell

DOI

ISSN

1535-9778

Publication Date

June 2003

Volume

2

Issue

3

Start / End Page

422 / 430

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virulence
  • Umbilical Veins
  • Temperature
  • Mutation
  • Mouth Mucosa
  • Microbiology
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice
  • Kidney
  • Humans
 

Citation

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MLA
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Blankenship, J. R., Wormley, F. L., Boyce, M. K., Schell, W. A., Filler, S. G., Perfect, J. R., & Heitman, J. (2003). Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence. Eukaryot Cell, 2(3), 422–430. https://doi.org/10.1128/EC.2.3.422-430.2003
Blankenship, Jill R., Floyd L. Wormley, Molly K. Boyce, Wiley A. Schell, Scott G. Filler, John R. Perfect, and Joseph Heitman. “Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence.Eukaryot Cell 2, no. 3 (June 2003): 422–30. https://doi.org/10.1128/EC.2.3.422-430.2003.
Blankenship JR, Wormley FL, Boyce MK, Schell WA, Filler SG, Perfect JR, et al. Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence. Eukaryot Cell. 2003 Jun;2(3):422–30.
Blankenship, Jill R., et al. “Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence.Eukaryot Cell, vol. 2, no. 3, June 2003, pp. 422–30. Pubmed, doi:10.1128/EC.2.3.422-430.2003.
Blankenship JR, Wormley FL, Boyce MK, Schell WA, Filler SG, Perfect JR, Heitman J. Calcineurin is essential for Candida albicans survival in serum and virulence. Eukaryot Cell. 2003 Jun;2(3):422–430.

Published In

Eukaryot Cell

DOI

ISSN

1535-9778

Publication Date

June 2003

Volume

2

Issue

3

Start / End Page

422 / 430

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virulence
  • Umbilical Veins
  • Temperature
  • Mutation
  • Mouth Mucosa
  • Microbiology
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice
  • Kidney
  • Humans