Project Details
Projekt
Characterisation of the Cell Wall Proteome in Candida glabrata
Applicant
Privatdozent Dr. Michael Weig
Subject Area
Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
Term
from 2004 to 2011
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5426796
The yeast C. glabrata is now one of the major causes of lethal systemic fungal infections in humans. In contrast to the di-(poly-)morphic fungus C. albicans, C. glabrata is haploid and the yeast form seems to mediate pathogenicity in this organism. The fungal cell wall (CW) is an essential and dynamic structure that facilitates morphological plasticity and virulence. As its main components are not present in mammalian cells, CW-constituents are attractive targets for novel antifungal drug development. Progress in understanding the CW of C. albicans has been achieved in the recent past, but little is known about the CW of C. glabrata. In order to characterise the C. glabrata CW and its proteome, purified CWs will be fractionated and covalently linked cell wall proteins (CWPs) will be released using recombinant enzymes and chemical approaches. After separation of the fractions using one-dimensional and two-dimensional gels, the proteins will be analysed by mass spectrometry. This will lead to the identification of bona-fide CWPs which subsequently can be characterised on a molecular and genetic level. To study dynamic changes of the CW, C. glabrata will be grown under different environmental conditions. In addition, the CW proteome of selected C. glabrata mutant strains, in which the cell walls are affected, will be analysed and compared to the wild type strain. The characterisation of the CW composition and the modification of CWP incorporation in response to environmental signals and cell-wall damage will give new insight in the pathogenicity of yeast infections and will make possible the development of new diagnostic tools and antifungal drugs.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
