This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kwon-Chung, K J Articles by Magee, P T Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kwon-Chung, K J Articles by Magee, P T

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect Immun. 1985 September; 49(3): 571-575

Genetic evidence for role of extracellular proteinase in virulence of Candida albicans.

ABSTRACT

The relationship between extracellular proteinase and the virulence for mice in Candida albicans was studied by using a set of three isolates. The set included a proteinase-producing parent (C9), a proteinase-deficient mutant derived from C9 by nitrous acid treatment (C9M1), and a spontaneous revertant (C9M1M) obtained by mouse passage of C9M1. The morphological markers and the carbon assimilation pattern were identical in these isolates. Isolate C9 produced a high level of proteinase in vitro and caused fatal infection (100%) within 21 days. The mutant produced no detectable enzymes in vitro, and all mice survived until day 22. Only 30% of the mice infected with C9M1 died between day 23 and 30. The isolates recovered from the dead mice were found to be proteinase sufficient, indicating that the mice died after the organism in tissue had reverted. The C9M1M isolate produced proteinase in vitro at 44% the level of C9 and induced fatal infection in 90% of the mice within 30 days. The number of CFU recovered from the kidneys correlated with the level of proteinase produced in vitro and, in turn, the rate of fatal infection produced by the isolates. These results support a previous observation indicating that proteinase activity is one of the virulence factors associated with C. albicans.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Naglik, J. R., Challacombe, S. J., Hube, B. (2003). Candida albicans Secreted Aspartyl Proteinases in Virulence and Pathogenesis. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 67: 400-428 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Waltimo, T.M.T., Sen, B.H., Meurman, J.H., Orstavik, D., Haapasalo, M.P.P. (2003). YEASTSIN APICAL PERIODONTITIS. Crit. Rev. Oral Biol. Med. 14: 128-137 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chen, Y.-C., Wu, C.-C., Chung, W.-L., Lee, F.-J. S. (2002). Differential secretion of Sap4-6 proteins in Candida albicans during hyphae formation. Microbiology 148: 3743-3754 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Akpan, A, Morgan, R (2002). Oral candidiasis. Postgrad. Med. J. 78: 455-459 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Southard, S. B., Specht, C. A., Mishra, C., Chen-Weiner, J., Robbins, P. W. (1999). Molecular Analysis of the Candida albicans Homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae MNN9, Required for Glycosylation of Cell Wall Mannoproteins. J. Bacteriol. 181: 7439-7448 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Na, B.-K., Song, C.-Y. (1999). Use of Monoclonal Antibody in Diagnosis of Candidiasis Caused by Candida albicans: Detection of Circulating Aspartyl Proteinase Antigen. CVI 6: 924-929 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Korting, H. C., Schaller, M., Eder, G., Hamm, G., Böhmer, U., Hube, B. (1999). Effects of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Proteinase Inhibitors Saquinavir and Indinavir on In Vitro Activities of Secreted Aspartyl Proteinases of Candida albicans Isolates from HIV-Infected Patients. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 43: 2038-2042 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wysong, D. R., Christin, L., Sugar, A. M., Robbins, P. W., Diamond, R. D. (1998). Cloning and Sequencing of a Candida albicans Catalase Gene and Effects of Disruption of This Gene. Infect. Immun. 66: 1953-1961 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sentandreu, M., Elorza, M. V., Sentandreu, R., Fonzi, W. A. (1998). Cloning and Characterization of PRA1, a Gene Encoding a Novel pH-Regulated Antigen of Candida albicans. J. Bacteriol. 180: 282-289 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Staib, P., Kretschmar, M., Nichterlein, T., Hof, H., Morschhauser, J. (2000). Differential activation of a Candida albicans virulence gene family during infection. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97: 6102-6107 [Abstract] [Full Text]