Publication Date:
2012-08-23
Description:
A family of nine genes encoding proteins involved in the synthesis of β-1,2 mannose adhesins of Candida albicans has been identified. Four of these genes, BMT1 – 4 , encode enzymes acting stepwise to add β-mannoses on to cell-wall phosphopeptidomannan (PPM). None of these acts on phospholipomannan (PLM), a glycosphingolipid member of the mannose-inositol-phosphoceramide family, which contributes with PPM to β-mannose surface expression. We show that deletion of BMT5 and BMT6 led to a dramatic reduction of PLM glycosylation and accumulation of PLM with a truncated β-oligomannoside chain, respectively. Disruptions had no effect on sphingolipid biosynthesis and on PPM β-mannosylation. β-Mannose surface expression was not affected, confirming that β-mannosylation is a process based on specificity of acceptor molecules, but liable to global regulation.
Print ISSN:
0959-6658
Electronic ISSN:
1460-2423
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Permalink