Epigenetic control of oxidative stresses by histone acetyltransferases in Candida albicans (original) (raw)

Candida albicans is a major pathogenic fungus in human, and meets at first the innate immune cells, such as macrophage, in its host. One important strategy of the host cell to kill C. albicans is to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the macrophages. In response to ROS produced by the macrophage, C. albicans operates its defense mechanisms against reactive oxygen species by expressing its oxidative stress response genes. Although there have been many researches explaining the specific transcription factors and the expression of the oxidative stress genes in C. albicans, the regulation of the oxidative stress genes by chromatin structure has been little known. The epigenetic regulation by chromatin structure is very important for the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression, including the chromatin structure dynamics by histone modifications. Among various histone modifications, histone acetylation is reported as its direct relationship to the regulation of gene expression. Rec...