Candidalysin: Connecting the pore forming mechanism of this virulence factor to its immunostimulatory properties.
J Biol Chem
; 299(2): 102829, 2023 02.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36581211
ABSTRACT
Candida albicans is a deadly pathogen responsible for millions of mucosal and systemic infections per year. The pathobiology of C. albicans is largely dependent on the damaging and immunostimulatory properties of the peptide candidalysin (CL), a key virulence factor. When CL forms pores in the plasma membrane of epithelial cells, it activates a response network grounded in activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Prior reviews have characterized the resulting CL immune activation schemas but lacked insights into the molecular mechanism of CL membrane damage. We recently demonstrated that CL functions by undergoing a unique self-assembly process; CL forms polymers and loops in aqueous solution prior to inserting and forming pores in cell membranes. This mechanism, the first of its kind to be observed, informs new therapeutic avenues to treat Candida infections. Recently, variants of CL were identified in other Candida species, providing an opportunity to identify the residues that are key for CL to function. In this review, we connect the ability of CL to damage cell membranes to its immunostimulatory properties.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Candida albicans
/
Fungal Proteins
/
Virulence Factors
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Language:
En
Year:
2023
Type:
Article