Isolation of canCHS1A, a variant gene of Candida albicans chitin synthase

A canCHS1A gene encoding the chitin synthase of Candida albicans was cloned. DNA sequencing and comparison with another canCHS1 gene described elsewhere indicated that the canCHS1A gene encoded a polypeptide with 775 amino acid residues, a protein with one less amino acid than that encoded by the canCHS1 gene. A six-base alteration was observed between the two genes, suggesting that the canCHS1A gene is a variant gene of the canCHS1. The pH profile/activity relationship of canChs1A in permeabilized cells was identical to that of canChs1. The canChs1A enzyme was competitively inhibited by polyoxin D (5.2 microM) and nikkomycin Z (12 microM). When the cloned gene was expressed in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae chs2 mutant that exhibited aberrant morphology, the normal structure was restored. We conclude that the function of the canCHS1A gene is similar to that of sacCHS2 in S. cerevisiae.