Transport of basic amino acids in Candida albicans

In Candida albicans, ATCC 46977, transport of basic amino acids is mediated by two systems (S1 and S2). Kinetic data and competitive inhibition studies of the different systems showed that transport of L-lysine, L-arginine and L-histidine have distinct specificities. System S1 of L-lysine and L-arginine was highly specific for the respective single basic amino acid. However, S2 of L-lysine and S1 of L-histidine were shown to be specific systems for most of basic amino acids. S2 of L-arginine was different from S2 of L-lysine and S1 of L-histidine. The effect of a thiol reagent, N-ethylmalemide, revealed that S2 of L-lysine and S1 of L-histidine were sensitive to this reagent, while all other systems were insensitive. The transport activity of different systems of L-lysine, L-arginine and L-histidine was followed during the growth of C. albicans. It was observed that different basic amino-acid systems have maximum activity during different stages of C. albicans growth.