Examining the effects of BRG1 over-expression on Candida albicans strains growing as pseudohyphae

Abstract

The pathogen Candida albicans is pleiomorphic and grows in yeast and filamentous forms but the relationship between the regulation of different filamentous forms is unclear. BRG1 encodes a DNA binding protein which is an important regulator of morphology. Mutants lacking BRG1 grow as yeast under all conditions tested and over-expressing BRG1 drives hyphal growth even in the absence of inducing signals. A number of genetic mutants in repressors of filamentation form pseudohyphae under yeast conditions and some of these mutants can form hyphae under hypha-inducing conditions. This study examines the position of BRG1 in the regulatory networks that govern filamentation by examining the effect of over-expressing BRG1 in pseudohyphal mutants.

Keywords: BRG1; Candida albicans; NRG1; RFG1; TUP1 pseudohyphae.