Candida albicans Als adhesins have conserved amyloid-forming sequences

Eukaryot Cell. 2008 May;7(5):776-82. doi: 10.1128/EC.00309-07. Epub 2007 Dec 14.

Abstract

The cell wall-bound Als adhesins of Candida albicans mediate both yeast-to-host tissue adherence and yeast aggregation. This aggregation is amyloid-like, with self-propagating secondary-structure changes, amyloid-characteristic dye binding, and induced birefringence (J. M. Rauceo, N. K. Gaur, K. G. Lee, J. E. Edwards, S. A. Klotz, and P. N. Lipke, Infect. Immun. 72:4948-4955, 2004). Therefore, we determined whether Als proteins could form amyloid fibers with properties like those in cellular aggregation. The beta-aggregation predictor TANGO identified a heptapeptide sequence present in a highly conserved sequence with amyloid-forming potential in Als1p, Als3p, and Als5p. A tridecapeptide containing this sequence formed fibers that bound Congo red and thioflavin T and had characteristic amyloid morphology. Als5p(20-431) and Als5p(20-664), large fragments of Als5p containing the amyloid sequence, also formed amyloid-like fibers and bound Congo red under native conditions. K(a)/K(s) analysis showed that the amyloid-forming sequences are highly conserved in Als proteins and evolve more slowly than other regions of the proteins. Therefore, amyloid-forming ability itself is conserved in these proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amyloid / chemistry*
  • Amyloid / ultrastructure
  • Candida albicans / chemistry*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / chemistry*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / ultrastructure
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Fungal Proteins / ultrastructure
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Protein Folding
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / ultrastructure

Substances

  • ALA1 protein, Candida albicans
  • ALS1 protein, Candida albicans
  • ALS3 protein, Candida albicans
  • Amyloid
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Recombinant Proteins