Intra- and intermolecular events direct the propeptide-mediated maturation of the Candida albicans secreted aspartic proteinase Sap1p (original) (raw)
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Microbiology, 1998
Secreted aspartic proteinases (Saps) contribute to the virulence of Candida albicans in systemic animal models of infection. Seven genes encoding Saps (SAM-SAP7) have been identified to date but evidence suggested the existence of additional SAP genes. The screening of a C. albicans iZEMBL3 genomic library for the presence of other SAP genes was undertaken. Two new genes, SAP8 and SAPS, were isolated. The N-terminal amino acid sequence deduced from SAP8 downstream of a Kex2plike cleavage site corresponds to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 41 kDa Sap isolated and characterized previously. SAP8 mRNA was expressed preferentially in yeasts at 25 "C after 6 and 9 h growth in BSA-containing medium. SAPS encodes an aspartic proteinase with a Kex2pllike cleavage site and contains a putative glycophosphatidylinositol-anchor signal at the C-terminus. Although the SAPS gene product has not yet been isolated from cultures of C. albicans, transcripts of SAPS were observed preferentially in later growth phases when SAP8 expression had decreased.
Biological Chemistry, 2000
Opportunistic pathogens of the genus Candida produce secreted aspartic proteinases (Saps) that play an important role in virulence. Saps are synthesized as zymogens, but cell-free culture supernatants of Candida spp. contain only mature Saps. To study the zymogen conversion, the gene encoding a precursor of C. parapsilosis proteinase Sapp1p was cloned, expressed in E. coli and the product was purified. When placed in acidic conditions, the precursor was autocatalytically processed, yielding an active proteinase. The self-activation proceeded through an intermediate product and the resulting enzyme was one amino acid shorter than the authentic enzyme. This truncation did not cause changes in proteinase activity or secondary structure compared to the authentic Sapp1p. Accurate cleavage of the pro-mature junction, however, required a processing proteinase. A crude membrane fraction prepared from C. parapsilosis cells contained an enzyme with Kex2-like activity, which processed the Sapp1p precursor at the expected site. The pro-segment appeared to be indispensable for Sapp1p to attain an appropriate structure. When expressed without the pro-segment, the Sapp1p mature domain was not active and had a lower content of ahelical conformation, as measured by circular dichroism. A similar effect was observed when a His 6 -tag was linked to the C-terminus of Sapp1p or its precursor.
Polish Journal of Microbiology, 2012
Transition from round budding cells to long hyphal forms and production of secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) are considered virulence-associated factors of Candida albicans. Although plenty of data dealing with Saps involvement in the infection process have been published, Saps expression by the different pleomorphic forms as well as the capacity of C. albicans filaments to express Sap1-6 under serum influence are poorly investigated. In this study, we used immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy for the detection of Sap1-6 isoenzymes in C. albicans pleomorphic cells (blastoconidia, germ tubes, pseudohyphae, true hyphae) grown in Sap-inductive human serum and Sap non-inductive medium - yeast extract-peptone-glucose (YEPD). Isoenzymes were below the detection level in all blastoconidial cells grown in YEPD for 18 h. Sap1-6 expression was hardly detected in C. albicans cells cultivated in serum for 20 min. Increasing level of Sap1-6 expression was observed when C. albicans w...
Detection of intracellular forms of secretory aspartic proteinase in Candida albicans
Journal of General Microbiology, 1992
The extracellular proteinase (EPR) of Ctadidiz d b~~ was induced in a medium containing bovine serum albumin as sole nitrogen source. There were two intracellular forms in cells induced to produce EPR, a 43 kDa protein (EPR) and a 45kDa protein (cross-reacting material of EPR; CRM-EPR); these were detected by h d o t t h g Using anti-EPR antiserum. The 43 kDa protein (EPR) may be the same as the extracellular form judging by molecular mass, a d the 45 kDa protein (CRM-EPR) may be a precursor form of EPR. Many dense granules were observed by electron microscopy near the plasma membrane of the mother cells in EPR-producing cells. Both the 43 and 45 kDa proteins were recovered in a membrane fraction and were solubilized by Triton X-100. When the membrane fraction was further fractionated by sucrose d d t y gradient centrifugation, the 43 and 45 kDa proteins were differentially fractionated. This suggests that they were located in Merent membranebound structures and is consistent with an assumption that the 45 kDa protein is a preclvsor for EPR.
Molecular Microbiology, 1998
Medically important yeasts of the genus Candida secrete aspartyl proteinases (Sap), which are of particular interest as virulence factors. Six closely related gene sequences, SAP1 to SAP6, for secreted proteinases are present in Candida albicans. The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris was chosen as an expression system for preparing substantial amounts of each Sap isoenzyme. Interestingly, Sap4, Sap5 and Sap6, which have not yet been detected in C. albicans cultures in vitro, were produced as active recombinant enzymes. Different Sap polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbits and tested before further application by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) against each recombinant Sap. Two antisera recognized only Sap4 to Sap6. Using these antisera, together with sap null mutants obtained by targeted mutagenesis, we could demonstrate a high production of Sap4, Sap5 and Sap6 by C. albicans cells after phagocytosis by murine peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, a ⌬sap4,5,6 null mutant was killed 53% more effectively after contact with macrophages than the wild-type strain. These results support a role for Sap4 to Sap6 in pathogenicity.
FEMS Yeast Research, 2006
The human fungal pathogen Candida parapsilosis possesses at least three genes encoding secreted aspartic proteinases. Whereas the Sapp1p isoenzyme has already been biochemically characterized, the SAPP2 and SAPP3 gene products have not. The Sapp2p precursor, pro-Sapp2p, was therefore expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Autoactivation of pro-Sapp2p in acidic conditions was inefficient and resulted in a protein extended by eight amino acids at the N-terminus (Sapp2p 18). The correct promature junction KR/SSPSS was cleaved by trypsin or by a membrane-bound Kex2-like proteinase from Candida parapsilosis. The mature Sapp2p obtained by the assisted activation was proteolytically active. Its activity was more than twofold higher than that of the self-processed protein species Sapp2p 18 , as measured by the hemoglobin cleavage test. The substrate specificity of Sapp2p differs from that of Sapp1p. Peptides containing aromatic residues in the P1 and P1 0 positions are cleaved poorly by Sapp2p. A fluorogenic substrate was synthesized to facilitate further studies.
Infection and immunity, 1997
Secreted aspartyl proteinases (Saps) from Candida albicans are encoded by a multigene family with at least nine members (SAP1 to SAP9) and are considered putative virulence factors important for the pathogenicity of this human pathogen. The role of Sap isoenzymes in the virulence of C. albicans has not yet been clearly established, and therefore, using recent progress in the genetics of this yeast, we have constructed a panel of isogenic yeasts, each with a disruption of one or several SAP genes. We focused on the construction of a C. albicans strain in which three related SAP genes (SAP4, SAP5, and SAP6) were disrupted. Growth of the delta sap4,5,6 triple homozygous null mutant DSY459 in complex medium was not affected, whereas, interestingly, growth in a medium containing protein as the sole nitrogen source was severely impaired compared to the growth of the wild-type parent strain SC5314. Since the presence of Sap2 is required for optimal growth on such medium, this suggests that...
Biological Chemistry, 2000
Secreted aspartic proteinases (Sap) play a role in the virulence of pathogenic Candida spp. Candida parapsilosis possesses three genes encoding these enzymes: SAPP1, SAPP2, and SAPP3. We analyzed the expression of the SAPP1 and SAPP2 genes and the production of Sapp1p and Sapp2p proteinases in the presence of different nitrogen sources. While the SAPP2 transcript was present under all of the conditions tested, expression of SAPP1 was induced only by the presence of exogenous protein as the sole nitrogen source. The concentration of Sapp1p in the medium upon induction was at least one order of magnitude higher than the concentration of Sapp2p in all media tested in this study. Enzymological characterization of purified Sapp1p and Sapp2p demonstrated that Sapp2p has a more restricted substrate specificity and significantly lower catalytic activity than Sapp1p. Homology models of Sapp1p and Sapp2p revealed structural motifs that may be responsible for the differences between these two enzymes. Our results indicate that C. parapsilosis secretes a low level of Sapp2p proteinase with narrow substrate specificity and low proteolytic activity under most conditions, while expression and secretion of a higher amount of catalytically efficient Sapp1p enzymes is triggered in the presence of exogenous protein serving as a nitrogen source.
Enzymic characteristics of secreted aspartic proteases of Candida albicans
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Protein Structure and Molecular Enzymology, 2000
Candida yeasts are rarely infectious, but frequently cause life-threatening systemic infections in patients immunocompromised by AIDS or by immunosuppressive therapeutics. The secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) are known virulence factors of pernicious Candida species. The most virulent, Candida albicans, possesses at least nine SAP genes, some of which are specifically expressed from cells with morphologies associated with virulence. Only one of these proteases, Sap2, has been previously purified from yeast in sufficient quantities for enzymic studies. The other enzymes are present in low amounts in yeast culture and are difficult to purify. As a consequence, enzyme properties, including the substrate specificities, of all Saps are poorly studied. Therefore, four Saps that are known to be expressed in C. albicans, Sap1, Sap2, Sap3 and Sap6, were produced in Escherichia coli as recombinant zymogens and purified in large quantities. These proenzymes were autoactivated and purified as active proteases. The enzymic properties including the substrate specificities at the P 1 and P 1 P sites were determined using a competitive hydrolysis method employing synthetic substrate mixtures. All four Saps cleave peptide bonds between larger hydrophobic amino acids, but these somewhat broad specificities differ in detail among the four enzymes at both sites. At the P 1 site, Sap1, Sap2 and Sap6 prefer Phe while Sap3 prefers Leu. Positively charged amino acids are also accommodated, especially by Sap2 and Sap3. The specificities at P 1 P are broader than at P 1 for all four enzymes. Sap6 prefers Ala, whereas other Saps prefer Tyr. Acidic side chains are also accommodated at this site. Analysis of substrates with a hydrophobic amino acid in P 1 P reveals that all the Saps possess a unique preference for Ala at this site. The observed differences of residue preferences among Saps may be utilized for the design of specific substrates and inhibitors. ß