Abstract
The synthesis of chitin during germ-tube formation in Candida albicans may be regulated by the first and last steps in the chitin pathway: namely l-glutamine-d-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase and chitin synthase. Induction of germ-tube formation with either glucose and glutamine or serum was accompanied by a 4-fold increase in the specific activity of the aminotransferase. Chitin synthase in C. albicans is synthesized as a proenzyme. N-acetyl glucosamine increased the enzymic activity of the activated enzyme 3-fold and the enzyme exhibited positive co-operativity with the substrate, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. Although chitin synthase was inhibited by polyoxin D (K i =1.2μM) this antibiotic did not affect germination. During germ-tube formation the total chitin synthase activity increased 1.4-fold and the expressed activity (in vivo activated proenzyme) increased 5-fold. These results could account for the reported 5-fold increase in chitin content observed during the yeast to mycelial transformation.
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Abbreviations
- GlcNac:
-
N-acetyl glucosamine
- UDP-GlcNac:
-
UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine
- PMSF:
-
phenylmethylsulphonylfluoride
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Chiew, Y.Y., Shepherd, M.G. & Sullivan, P.A. Regulation of chitin synthesis during germ-tube formation in Candida albicans . Arch. Microbiol. 125, 97–104 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403204
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403204