The G protein-coupled receptor Gpr1 and the Galpha protein Gpa2 act through the cAMP-protein kinase A pathway to induce morphogenesis in Candida albicans

Mol Biol Cell. 2005 Apr;16(4):1971-86. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e04-09-0780. Epub 2005 Jan 26.

Abstract

We investigated the role in cell morphogenesis and pathogenicity of the Candida albicans GPR1 gene, encoding the G protein-coupled receptor Gpr1. Deletion of C. albicans GPR1 has only minor effects in liquid hypha-inducing media but results in strong defects in the yeast-to-hypha transition on solid hypha-inducing media. Addition of cAMP, expression of a constitutively active allele of the Galpha protein Gpa2 or of the catalytic protein kinase A subunit TPK1 restores the wild-type phenotype of the CaGPR1-deleted strain. Overexpression of HST7, encoding a component of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, does not suppress the defect in filamentation. These results indicate that CaGpr1 functions upstream in the cAMP-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. We also show that, in the presence of glucose, CaGpr1 is important for amino acid-induced transition from yeast to hyphal cells. Finally, as opposed to previous reports, we show that CaGpa2 acts downstream of CaGpr1 as activator of the cAMP-PKA pathway but that deletion of neither CaGpr1 nor CaGpa2 affects glucose-induced cAMP signaling. In contrast, the latter is abolished in strains lacking CaCdc25 or CaRas1, suggesting that the CaCdc25-CaRas1 rather than the CaGpr1-CaGpa2 module mediates glucose-induced cAMP signaling in C. albicans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Candida albicans / cytology
  • Candida albicans / growth & development*
  • Candida albicans / metabolism*
  • Candida albicans / pathogenicity
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / metabolism*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Glucose / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hyphae / metabolism
  • Methionine / genetics
  • Methionine / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Proline / genetics
  • Proline / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Virulence
  • ras Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Proline
  • Methionine
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • ras Proteins
  • Glucose