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Characterization of Hwp2, a Candida albicans putative GPI-anchored cell wall protein necessary for invasive growth

Peter Hayek1, Leila Dib, Pascal Yazbeck

  • 1Natural Sciences Division, Lebanese American University, P.O. Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon.

Microbiological Research
|July 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The study found that the Hwp2 protein is important for Candida albicans filamentation on solid media and contributes to virulence. Deleting Hwp2 reduced pathogenicity in a mouse model, suggesting a role in adhesion and invasion.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Candida albicans virulence is multifactorial, involving factors like lipases, proteases, and adhesins.
  • Many virulence factors are GPI-anchored cell surface proteins crucial for pathogenicity.
  • Hwp2 is identified as a potential GPI-anchored protein involved in C. albicans pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Hwp2 in Candida albicans filamentation.
  • To assess the impact of Hwp2 on virulence in a disseminated candidiasis mouse model.
  • To determine Hwp2's influence on antifungal drug resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Creation of a homozygous null hwp2 strain.
  • Comparison of the hwp2Δ strain with parental and revertant HWP2(+) strains.
  • Evaluation of filamentation on various solid and liquid media, virulence in mice, and drug resistance.

Main Results:

  • The hwp2Δ strain exhibited significant filamentation deficiency on solid media but not on most liquid media.
  • The mutant strain showed a slight reduction in virulence, with mice surviving longer compared to the wild-type infection.
  • A novel 37-amino-acid stretch in Hwp2, potentially involved in protein aggregation, showed high sequence identity to other C. albicans cell wall proteins.

Conclusions:

  • Hwp2 plays a role in Candida albicans filamentation, particularly on solid surfaces.
  • Hwp2 contributes to the virulence of C. albicans, suggesting involvement in adhesion and invasiveness.
  • The findings highlight Hwp2 as a potential target for antifungal strategies.

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