Identification of Septin Regulators in Candida albicans
Advisor Information
Jill Blankenship
Location
UNO Criss Library, Room 112
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
6-3-2015 11:00 AM
End Date
6-3-2015 11:15 AM
Abstract
The pathogenic yeast Candida albicans is the cause of many fungal infections in humans including yeast infections, diaper rash, thrush, and severe systemic disease in those that are immunodeficient. C. albicans can shift from a budding to filamentous form, a transition that is essential to virulence. Antifungal drugs that compromise cell wall or cell membrane integrity are the current means of defense against this infection. However, these drugs have not lowered the fatalities due to C. albicans. Septins, a family of conserved proteins, play an important role in filamentation and cell wall integrity. The goal of this study is to identify septin modifying proteins deletions that alter the ability of septins to promote cell wall integrity and/or filamentation, which may provide insight into novel antifungal drug targets. To do this, a plasmid containing a septin gene fragment linked to a GFP tag with a drug-selectable marker was transformed into C. albicans. Transformants were selected by growth on agar plates containing noursecthricin which prevents growth of strains that lack the NAT cassette.
Identification of Septin Regulators in Candida albicans
UNO Criss Library, Room 112
The pathogenic yeast Candida albicans is the cause of many fungal infections in humans including yeast infections, diaper rash, thrush, and severe systemic disease in those that are immunodeficient. C. albicans can shift from a budding to filamentous form, a transition that is essential to virulence. Antifungal drugs that compromise cell wall or cell membrane integrity are the current means of defense against this infection. However, these drugs have not lowered the fatalities due to C. albicans. Septins, a family of conserved proteins, play an important role in filamentation and cell wall integrity. The goal of this study is to identify septin modifying proteins deletions that alter the ability of septins to promote cell wall integrity and/or filamentation, which may provide insight into novel antifungal drug targets. To do this, a plasmid containing a septin gene fragment linked to a GFP tag with a drug-selectable marker was transformed into C. albicans. Transformants were selected by growth on agar plates containing noursecthricin which prevents growth of strains that lack the NAT cassette.