Optimized CRISPR inhibition and activation opens key avenues for systematic biological exploration in zebrafish.

The application of CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) technologies in zebrafish has the potential to expand its capacity for the study of gene function significantly. We have developed a codon optimized CRISPRi/a for zebrafish; here we provide proof-of-principle data across established pigmentary and growth phenotypes. We established a zebrafish codon-optimized cas9 gene, harboring mutations D10A and D839A to render the protein catalytically inactive ( dCas9 ). Similarly, codon-optimized Krüppel associated box (KRAB) and methylated CP2 (MeCP2) inactivating domains or VP64 activator domain were cloned downstream from dCas9 for CRISPRi and CRISPRa, respectively. To validate CRISPRi, we targeted key genes in melanocyte differentiation ( sox10, mitfa, and mitfb) ; and melanin production (tyrosinase; tyr ). Microinjection of CRISPRi mRNA and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting the tyr promoter or 5'-UTR resulted in larvae with hypopigmented epidermal melanocytes. Transcription factors mitfa and mitfb similarly direct differentiation and pigmentation of epidermal melanocytes ( mitfa ) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE, mitfb ). CRISPRi-mediated targeting of their promoters or 5'-UTR also results in pronounced hypopigmentation of epidermal melanocytes ( mitfa ), and RPE ( mitfb ). So too, targeting CRISPRi to the sox10 promoter results in hypopigmentation of both epidermal melanocytes and RPE consistent with its role upstream of mitfa and mitfb , and tyr . Finally, we asked whether CRISPRi and CRISPRa could be used to modulate a single gene, to yield hypomorphic and hypermorphic effects, selecting mrap2a , as our target. This gene regulates energy homeostasis and somatic growth via inhibition of the melanocortin 4 receptor gene ( mc4r ). We demonstrate that targeting the mrap2a 5'-UTR with CRISPRa or CRISPRi significantly increases or decreases larval body length, respectively. We demonstrate the utility of CRISPRi/a for modulating control of zebrafish gene expression, facilitating efficient assay of candidate gene function and disease relevance.

Metals at the Host-Fungal Pathogen Battleground.

Fungal infections continue to represent a major threat to public health, particularly with the emergence of multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens. As part of the innate immune response, the host modulates the availability of metals as armament against pathogenic microbes, including fungi. The transition metals Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn are essential micronutrients for all life forms, but when present in excess, these same metals are potent toxins. The host exploits the double-edged sword of these metals, and will either withhold metal micronutrients from pathogenic fungi or attack them with toxic doses. In response to these attacks, fungal pathogens cleverly adapt by modulating metal transport, metal storage, and usage of metals as cofactors for enzymes. Here we review the current state of understanding on Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn at the host-fungal pathogen battleground and provide perspectives for future research, including a hope for new antifungals based on metals.

The role of manganese in morphogenesis and pathogenesis of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

Metals such as Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn are essential trace nutrients for all kingdoms of life, including microbial pathogens and their hosts. During infection, the mammalian host attempts to starve invading microbes of these micronutrients through responses collectively known as nutritional immunity. Nutritional immunity for Zn, Fe and Cu has been well documented for fungal infections; however Mn handling at the host-fungal pathogen interface remains largely unexplored. This work establishes the foundation of fungal resistance against Mn associated nutritional immunity through the characterization of NRAMP divalent metal transporters in the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Here, we identify C. albicans Smf12 and Smf13 as two NRAMP transporters required for cellular Mn accumulation. Single or combined smf12Δ/Δ and smf13Δ/Δ mutations result in a 10-80 fold reduction in cellular Mn with an additive effect of double mutations and no losses in cellular Cu, Fe or Zn. As a result of low cellular Mn, the mutants exhibit impaired activity of mitochondrial Mn-superoxide dismutase 2 (Sod2) and cytosolic Mn-Sod3 but no defects in cytosolic Cu/Zn-Sod1 activity. Mn is also required for activity of Golgi mannosyltransferases, and smf12Δ/Δ and smf13Δ/Δ mutants show a dramatic loss in cell surface phosphomannan and in glycosylation of proteins, including an intracellular acid phosphatase and a cell wall Cu-only Sod5 that is key for oxidative stress resistance. Importantly, smf12Δ/Δ and smf13Δ/Δ mutants are defective in formation of hyphal filaments, a deficiency rescuable by supplemental Mn. In a disseminated mouse model for candidiasis where kidney is the primary target tissue, we find a marked loss in total kidney Mn during fungal invasion, implying host restriction of Mn. In this model, smf12Δ/Δ and smf13Δ/Δ C. albicans mutants displayed a significant loss in virulence. These studies establish a role for Mn in Candida pathogenesis.

Biochemical Analysis of CaurSOD4, a Potential Therapeutic Target for the Emerging Fungal Pathogen Candida auris.

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen. With high mortality rates, there is an urgent need for new antifungals to combat C. auris. Possible antifungal targets include Cu-only superoxide dismutases (SODs), extracellular SODs that are unique to fungi and effectively combat the superoxide burst of host immunity. Cu-only SODs are essential for the virulence of diverse fungal pathogens; however, little is understood about these enzymes in C. auris. We show here that C. auris secretes an enzymatically active Cu-only SOD (CaurSOD4) when cells are starved for Fe, a condition mimicking host environments. Although predicted to attach to cell walls, CaurSOD4 is detected as a soluble extracellular enzyme and can act at a distance to remove superoxide. CaurSOD4 selectively binds Cu and not Zn, and Cu binding is labile compared to bimetallic Cu/Zn SODs. Moreover, CaurSOD4 is susceptible to inhibition by various metal-binding drugs that are without effect on mammalian Cu/Zn SODs. Our studies highlight CaurSOD4 as a potential antifungal target worthy of consideration.

Cdc42 regulates reactive oxygen species production in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.

Across eukaryotes, Rho GTPases such as Rac and Cdc42 play important roles in establishing cell polarity, which is a key feature of cell growth. In mammals and filamentous fungi, Rac targets large protein complexes containing NADPH oxidases (NOX) that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). In comparison, Rho GTPases of unicellular eukaryotes were believed to signal cell polarity without ROS, and it was unclear whether Rho GTPases were required for ROS production in these organisms. We document here the first example of Rho GTPase-mediated post-transcriptional control of ROS in a unicellular microbe. Specifically, Cdc42 is required for ROS production by the NOX Fre8 of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. During morphogenesis to a hyphal form, a filamentous growth state, C. albicans FRE8 mRNA is induced, which leads to a burst in ROS. Fre8-ROS is also induced during morphogenesis when FRE8 is driven by an ectopic promoter; hence, Fre8 ROS production is in addition controlled at the post-transcriptional level. Using fluorescently tagged Fre8, we observe that the majority of the protein is associated with the vacuolar system. Interestingly, much of Fre8 in the vacuolar system appears inactive, and Fre8-induced ROS is only produced at sites near the hyphal tip, where Cdc42 is also localized during morphogenesis. We observe that Cdc42 is necessary to activate Fre8-mediated ROS production during morphogenesis. Cdc42 regulation of Fre8 occurs without the large NOX protein complexes typical of higher eukaryotes and therefore represents a novel form of ROS control by Rho GTPases.

Ceruloplasmin as a source of Cu for a fungal pathogen.

Copper is an essential metal for virtually all organisms, yet little is known about the extracellular sources of this micronutrient. In serum, the most abundant extracellular Cu-binding molecule is the multi­copper oxidase ceruloplasmin (Cp). Cp levels increase during infection and inflammation, and pathogens can be exposed to high Cp at sites of infection. It is not known whether Cp might serve as a Cu source for microbial pathogens and we tested this using the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. We find that C. albicans can use whole serum as a Cu source and that this Cu is sensed by the transcription factor protein Mac1. Mac1 activates expression of Mn-SOD3 superoxide dismutase and represses Cu/Zn-SOD1 during Cu starvation and both responses are regulated by serum Cu. We also show that purified human Cp can act as a sole source of Cu for the fungus and likewise modulates the Mac1 Cu stress response. To investigate whether Cp is a Cu source in serum, we compared the ability of C. albicans to use serum from wild type versus Cp-/- mutant mice. We find that serum lacking Cp is deficient in its ability to trigger the Mac1 Cu response. C. albicans did accumulate Cu from Cp-/- serum, but this Cu was not efficiently sensed by Mac1. We conclude that Cp and non-Cp Cu sources are not equivalent and are handled differently by the fungal cell. Overall, these studies are the first to show that Cp is a preferred source of Cu for a pathogen.

Copper in infectious disease: Using both sides of the penny.

The transition metal Cu is an essential micronutrient that serves as a co-factor for numerous enzymes involved in redox and oxygen chemistry. However, Cu is also a potentially toxic metal, especially to unicellular microbes that are in direct contact with their environment. Since 400 BCE, Cu toxicity has been leveraged for its antimicrobial properties and even today, Cu based materials are being explored as effective antimicrobials against human pathogens spanning bacteria, fungi, and viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 agent of the 2019-2020 pandemic. Given that Cu has the double-edged property of being both highly toxic and an essential micronutrient, it plays an active and complicated role at the host-pathogen interface. Humans have evolved methods of incorporating Cu into innate and adaptive immune processes and both sides of the penny (Cu toxicity and Cu as a nutrient) are employed. Here we review the evolution of Cu in biology and its multi-faceted roles in infectious disease, from the viewpoints of the microbial pathogens as well as the animal hosts they infect.

Expanded role of the Cu-sensing transcription factor Mac1p in Candida albicans.

As part of the innate immune response, the host withholds metal micronutrients such as Cu from invading pathogens, and microbes respond through metal starvation stress responses. With the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans, the Cu-sensing transcription factor Mac1p governs the cellular response to Cu starvation by controlling Cu import. Mac1p additionally controls reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis by repressing a Cu-containing superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and inducing Mn-containing SOD3 as a non-Cu alternative. We show here that C. albicans Mac1p is essential for virulence in a mouse model for disseminated candidiasis and that the cellular functions of Mac1p extend beyond Cu uptake and ROS homeostasis. Specifically, mac1∆/∆ mutants are profoundly deficient in mitochondrial respiration and Fe accumulation, both Cu-dependent processes. Surprisingly, these deficiencies are not simply the product of impaired Cu uptake; rather mac1∆/∆ mutants appear defective in Cu allocation. The respiratory defect of mac1∆/∆ mutants was greatly improved by a sod1∆/∆ mutation, demonstrating a role for SOD1 repression by Mac1p in preserving respiration. Mac1p downregulates the major Cu consumer SOD1 to spare Cu for respiration that is essential for virulence of this fungal pathogen. The implications for such Cu homeostasis control in other pathogenic fungi are discussed.

Changes in mammalian copper homeostasis during microbial infection.

Animals carefully control homeostasis of Cu, a metal that is both potentially toxic and an essential nutrient. During infection, various shifts in Cu homeostasis can ensue. In mice infected with Candida albicans, serum Cu progressively rises and at late stages of infection, liver Cu rises, while kidney Cu declines. The basis for these changes in Cu homeostasis was poorly understood. We report here that the progressive rise in serum Cu is attributable to liver production of the multicopper oxidase ceruloplasmin (Cp). Through studies using Cp-/- mice, we find this elevated Cp helps recover serum Fe levels at late stages of infection, consistent with a role for Cp in loading transferrin with Fe. Cp also accounts for the elevation in liver Cu seen during infection, but not for the fluctuations in kidney Cu. The Cu exporting ATPase ATP7B is one candidate for kidney Cu control, but we find no change in the pattern of kidney Cu loss during infection of Atp7b-/- mice, implying alternative mechanisms. To test whether fungal infiltration of kidney tissue was required for kidney Cu loss, we explored other paradigms of infection. Infection with the intravascular malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei caused a rise in serum Cu and decrease in kidney Cu similar to that seen with C. albicans. Thus, dynamics in kidney Cu homeostasis appear to be a common feature among vastly different infection paradigms. The implications for such Cu homeostasis control in immunity are discussed.

Copper-only superoxide dismutase enzymes and iron starvation stress in Candida fungal pathogens.

Copper (Cu)-only superoxide dismutases (SOD) represent a newly characterized class of extracellular SODs important for virulence of several fungal pathogens. Previous studies of the Cu-only enzyme SOD5 from the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans have revealed that the active-site structure and Cu binding of SOD5 strongly deviate from those of Cu/Zn-SODs in its animal hosts, making Cu-only SODs a possible target for future antifungal drug design. C. albicans also expresses a Cu-only SOD4 that is highly similar in sequence to SOD5, but is poorly characterized. Here, we compared the biochemical, biophysical, and cell biological properties of C. albicans SOD4 and SOD5. Analyzing the recombinant proteins, we found that, similar to SOD5, Cu-only SOD4 can react with superoxide at rates approaching diffusion limits. Both SODs were monomeric and they exhibited similar binding affinities for their Cu cofactor. In C. albicans cultures, SOD4 and SOD5 were predominantly cell wall proteins. Despite these similarities, the SOD4 and SOD5 genes strongly differed in transcriptional regulation. SOD5 was predominantly induced during hyphal morphogenesis, together with a fungal burst in reactive oxygen species. Conversely, SOD4 expression was specifically up-regulated by iron (Fe) starvation and controlled by the Fe-responsive transcription factor SEF1. Interestingly, Candida tropicalis and the emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris contain a single SOD5-like SOD rather than a pair, and in both fungi, this SOD was induced by Fe starvation. This unexpected link between Fe homeostasis and extracellular Cu-SODs may help many fungi adapt to Fe-limited conditions of their hosts.

Exploiting the vulnerable active site of a copper-only superoxide dismutase to disrupt fungal pathogenesis.

Copper-only superoxide dismutases (SODs) represent a new class of SOD enzymes that are exclusively extracellular and unique to fungi and oomycetes. These SODs are essential for virulence of fungal pathogens in pulmonary and disseminated infections, and we show here an additional role for copper-only SODs in promoting survival of fungal biofilms. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans expresses three copper-only SODs, and deletion of one of them, SOD5, eradicated candidal biofilms on venous catheters in a rodent model. Fungal copper-only SODs harbor an irregular active site that, unlike their Cu,Zn-SOD counterparts, contains a copper co-factor unusually open to solvent and lacks zinc for stabilizing copper binding, making fungal copper-only SODs highly vulnerable to metal chelators. We found that unlike mammalian Cu,Zn-SOD1, C. albicans SOD5 indeed rapidly loses its copper to metal chelators such as EDTA, and binding constants for Cu(II) predict that copper-only SOD5 has a much lower affinity for copper than does Cu,Zn-SOD1. We screened compounds with a variety of indications and identified several metal-binding compounds, including the ionophore pyrithione zinc (PZ), that effectively inhibit C. albicans SOD5 but not mammalian Cu,Zn-SOD1. We observed that PZ both acts as an ionophore that promotes uptake of toxic metals and inhibits copper-only SODs. The pros and cons of a vulnerable active site for copper-only SODs and the possible exploitation of this vulnerability in antifungal drug design are discussed.

Antimicrobial action of calprotectin that does not involve metal withholding.

Calprotectin is a potent antimicrobial that inhibits the growth of pathogens by tightly binding transition metals such as Mn and Zn, thereby preventing their uptake and utilization by invading microbes. At sites of infection, calprotectin is abundantly released from neutrophils, but calprotectin is also present in non-neutrophil cell types that may be relevant to infections. We show here that in patients infected with the Lyme disease pathogen Borreliella (Borrelia) burgdorferi, calprotectin is produced in neutrophil-free regions of the skin, in both epidermal keratinocytes and in immune cells infiltrating the dermis, including CD68 positive macrophages. In culture, B. burgdorferi's growth is inhibited by calprotectin, but surprisingly, the mechanism does not involve the classical withholding of metal nutrients. B. burgdorferi cells exposed to calprotectin cease growth with no reduction in intracellular Mn and no loss in activity of Mn enzymes including the SodA superoxide dismutase. Additionally, there is no obvious loss in intracellular Zn. Rather than metal depletion, we find that calprotectin inhibits B. burgdorferi growth through a mechanism that requires physical association of calprotectin with the bacteria. By comparison, calprotectin inhibited E. coli growth without physically interacting with the microbe, and calprotectin effectively depleted E. coli of intracellular Mn and Zn. Our studies with B. burgdorferi demonstrate that the antimicrobial capacity of calprotectin is complex and extends well beyond simple withholding of metal micronutrients.

Intersection of phosphate transport, oxidative stress and TOR signalling in Candida albicans virulence.

Phosphate is an essential macronutrient required for cell growth and division. Pho84 is the major high-affinity cell-surface phosphate importer of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and a crucial element in the phosphate homeostatic system of this model yeast. We found that loss of Candida albicans Pho84 attenuated virulence in Drosophila and murine oropharyngeal and disseminated models of invasive infection, and conferred hypersensitivity to neutrophil killing. Susceptibility of cells lacking Pho84 to neutrophil attack depended on reactive oxygen species (ROS): pho84-/- cells were no more susceptible than wild type C. albicans to neutrophils from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease, or to those whose oxidative burst was pharmacologically inhibited or neutralized. pho84-/- mutants hyperactivated oxidative stress signalling. They accumulated intracellular ROS in the absence of extrinsic oxidative stress, in high as well as low ambient phosphate conditions. ROS accumulation correlated with diminished levels of the unique superoxide dismutase Sod3 in pho84-/- cells, while SOD3 overexpression from a conditional promoter substantially restored these cells' oxidative stress resistance in vitro. Repression of SOD3 expression sharply increased their oxidative stress hypersensitivity. Neither of these oxidative stress management effects of manipulating SOD3 transcription was observed in PHO84 wild type cells. Sod3 levels were not the only factor driving oxidative stress effects on pho84-/- cells, though, because overexpressing SOD3 did not ameliorate these cells' hypersensitivity to neutrophil killing ex vivo, indicating Pho84 has further roles in oxidative stress resistance and virulence. Measurement of cellular metal concentrations demonstrated that diminished Sod3 expression was not due to decreased import of its metal cofactor manganese, as predicted from the function of S. cerevisiae Pho84 as a low-affinity manganese transporter. Instead of a role of Pho84 in metal transport, we found its role in TORC1 activation to impact oxidative stress management: overexpression of the TORC1-activating GTPase Gtr1 relieved the Sod3 deficit and ROS excess in pho84-/- null mutant cells, though it did not suppress their hypersensitivity to neutrophil killing or hyphal growth defect. Pharmacologic inhibition of Pho84 by small molecules including the FDA-approved drug foscarnet also induced ROS accumulation. Inhibiting Pho84 could hence support host defenses by sensitizing C. albicans to oxidative stress.

Chemical Warfare at the Microorganismal Level: A Closer Look at the Superoxide Dismutase Enzymes of Pathogens.

Superoxide anion radical is generated as a natural byproduct of aerobic metabolism but is also produced as part of the oxidative burst of the innate immune response design to kill pathogens. In living systems, superoxide is largely managed through superoxide dismutases (SODs), families of metalloenzymes that use Fe, Mn, Ni, or Cu cofactors to catalyze the disproportionation of superoxide to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Given the bursts of superoxide faced by microbial pathogens, it comes as no surprise that SOD enzymes play important roles in microbial survival and virulence. Interestingly, microbial SOD enzymes not only detoxify host superoxide but also may participate in signaling pathways that involve reactive oxygen species derived from the microbe itself, particularly in the case of eukaryotic pathogens. In this Review, we will discuss the chemistry of superoxide radicals and the role of diverse SOD metalloenzymes in bacterial, fungal, and protozoan pathogens. We will highlight the unique features of microbial SOD enzymes that have evolved to accommodate the harsh lifestyle at the host-pathogen interface. Lastly, we will discuss key non-SOD superoxide scavengers that specific pathogens employ for defense against host superoxide.

A role for Candida albicans superoxide dismutase enzymes in glucose signaling.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans yeasts have evolved to differentially use glucose for fermentation versus respiration. S. cerevisiae is Crabtree positive, where glucose represses respiration and promotes fermentation, while the opportunistic fungal pathogen C. albicans is Crabtree negative and does not repress respiration with glucose. We have previously shown that glucose control in S. cerevisiae involves the antioxidant enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), where H2O2 generated by SOD1 stabilizes the casein kinase YCK1 for glucose sensing. We now demonstrate that C. albicans SODs also participate in glucose regulation. C. albicans expresses two cytosolic SODs, Cu/Zn SOD1 and Mn containing SOD3, and both complemented a S. cerevisiae sod1Δ mutant in stabilizing YCK1. Moreover, in C. albicans cells, both SODs functioned to repress glucose transporter genes in response to glucose. However, the action of SODs in glucose control has diverged in the two yeasts. In S. cerevisiae, SOD1 specifically functions in the glucose sensing pathway involving YCK1 and the RGT1 repressor, but the analogous YCK/RGT1 pathway in C. albicans shows no control by SOD enzymes. Instead C. albicans SODs work in the glucose repression pathway involving the MIG1 transcriptional repressor. In C. albicans, the SODs repress glucose uptake, while in S. cerevisiae, SOD1 activates glucose uptake, in accordance with the divergent modes for glucose utilization in these two distantly related yeasts.

Role of Calprotectin in Withholding Zinc and Copper from Candida albicans.

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans acquires essential metals from the host, yet the host can sequester these micronutrients through a process known as nutritional immunity. How the host withholds metals from C. albicans has been poorly understood; here we examine the role of calprotectin (CP), a transition metal binding protein. When CP depletes bioavailable Zn from the extracellular environment, C. albicans strongly upregulates ZRT1 and PRA1 for Zn import and maintains constant intracellular Zn through numerous cell divisions. We show for the first time that CP can also sequester Cu by binding Cu(II) with subpicomolar affinity. CP blocks fungal acquisition of Cu from serum and induces a Cu starvation stress response involving SOD1 and SOD3 superoxide dismutases. These transcriptional changes are mirrored when C. albicans invades kidneys in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis, although the responses to Cu and Zn limitations are temporally distinct. The Cu response progresses throughout 72 h, while the Zn response is short-lived. Notably, these stress responses were attenuated in CP null mice, but only at initial stages of infection. Thus, Zn and Cu pools are dynamic at the host-pathogen interface and CP acts early in infection to restrict metal nutrients from C. albicans.

Eukaryotic copper-only superoxide dismutases (SODs): A new class of SOD enzymes and SOD-like protein domains.

The copper-containing superoxide dismutases (SODs) represent a large family of enzymes that participate in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species by disproportionating superoxide anion radical to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Catalysis is driven by the redox-active copper ion, and in most cases, SODs also harbor a zinc at the active site that enhances copper catalysis and stabilizes the protein. Such bimetallic Cu,Zn-SODs are widespread, from the periplasm of bacteria to virtually every organelle in the human cell. However, a new class of copper-containing SODs has recently emerged that function without zinc. These copper-only enzymes serve as extracellular SODs in specific bacteria (i.e. Mycobacteria), throughout the fungal kingdom, and in the fungus-like oomycetes. The eukaryotic copper-only SODs are particularly unique in that they lack an electrostatic loop for substrate guidance and have an unusual open-access copper site, yet they can still react with superoxide at rates limited only by diffusion. Copper-only SOD sequences similar to those seen in fungi and oomycetes are also found in the animal kingdom, but rather than single-domain enzymes, they appear as tandem repeats in large polypeptides we refer to as CSRPs (copper-only SOD-repeat proteins). Here, we compare and contrast the Cu,Zn versus copper-only SODs and discuss the evolution of copper-only SOD protein domains in animals and fungi.

Candida albicans FRE8 encodes a member of the NADPH oxidase family that produces a burst of ROS during fungal morphogenesis.

Until recently, NADPH oxidase (NOX) enzymes were thought to be a property of multicellularity, where the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by NOX acts in signaling processes or in attacking invading microbes through oxidative damage. We demonstrate here that the unicellular yeast and opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is capable of a ROS burst using a member of the NOX enzyme family, which we identify as Fre8. C. albicans can exist in either a unicellular yeast-like budding form or as filamentous multicellular hyphae or pseudohyphae, and the ROS burst of Fre8 begins as cells transition to the hyphal state. Fre8 is induced during hyphal morphogenesis and specifically produces ROS at the growing tip of the polarized cell. The superoxide dismutase Sod5 is co-induced with Fre8 and our findings are consistent with a model in which extracellular Sod5 acts as partner for Fre8, converting Fre8-derived superoxide to the diffusible H2O2 molecule. Mutants of fre8Δ/Δ exhibit a morphogenesis defect in vitro and are specifically impaired in development or maintenance of elongated hyphae, a defect that is rescued by exogenous sources of H2O2. A fre8Δ/Δ deficiency in hyphal development was similarly observed in vivo during C. albicans invasion of the kidney in a mouse model for disseminated candidiasis. Moreover C. albicans fre8Δ/Δ mutants showed defects in a rat catheter model for biofilms. Together these studies demonstrate that like multicellular organisms, C. albicans expresses NOX to produce ROS and this ROS helps drive fungal morphogenesis in the animal host.

An Adaptation to Low Copper in Candida albicans Involving SOD Enzymes and the Alternative Oxidase.

In eukaryotes, the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is a major cytosolic cuproprotein with a small fraction residing in the mitochondrial intermembrane space (IMS) to protect against respiratory superoxide. Curiously, the opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans is predicted to express two cytosolic SODs including Cu/Zn containing SOD1 and manganese containing SOD3. As part of a copper starvation response, C. albicans represses SOD1 and induces the non-copper alternative SOD3. While both SOD1 and SOD3 are predicted to exist in the same cytosolic compartment, their potential role in mitochondrial oxidative stress had yet to be investigated. We show here that under copper replete conditions, a fraction of the Cu/Zn containing SOD1 localizes to the mitochondrial IMS to guard against mitochondrial superoxide. However in copper starved cells, localization of the manganese containing SOD3 is restricted to the cytosol leaving the mitochondrial IMS devoid of SOD. We observe that during copper starvation, an alternative oxidase (AOX) form of respiration is induced that is not coupled to ATP synthesis but maintains mitochondrial superoxide at low levels even in the absence of IMS SOD. Surprisingly, the copper-dependent cytochrome c oxidase (COX) form of respiration remains high with copper starvation. We provide evidence that repression of SOD1 during copper limitation serves to spare copper for COX and maintain COX respiration. Overall, the complex copper starvation response of C. albicans involving SOD1, SOD3 and AOX minimizes mitochondrial oxidative damage whilst maximizing COX respiration essential for fungal pathogenesis.