A luciferase reporter for gene expression studies and dynamic imaging of superficial Candida albicans infections

Methods Mol Biol. 2012:845:537-46. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-539-8_39.

Abstract

Real-time imaging of fungal infections is becoming integral to the study of host-pathogen interactions, as it allows monitoring of the spatial and temporal progression of pathogen growth or of the host response in a single animal as well as reducing the number of animals used to obtain significant data. We present different applications of a novel luciferase reporter gene constructed from the coding sequences of the Candida albicans PGA59 gene, encoding a GPI-linked cell wall protein, and the Gaussia princeps luciferase gene. Upon addition of the coelenterazine substrate, light produced by the surface-exposed luciferase can be used to quantify gene expression from a variety of C. albicans promoters as well as monitoring cutaneous, subcutaneous, and vaginal infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Candida albicans / pathogenicity*
  • Candidiasis, Cutaneous / enzymology
  • Candidiasis, Cutaneous / genetics*
  • Candidiasis, Cutaneous / microbiology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods*
  • Genes, Reporter / genetics*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Luciferases / genetics*
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Luminescent Measurements / methods*
  • Mice
  • Vagina / metabolism
  • Vagina / microbiology

Substances

  • Luciferases