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Eukaryotic Cell, February 2006, p. 359-367, Vol. 5, No. 2
1535-9778/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/EC.5.2.359-367.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Candida albicans VAC8 Is Required for Vacuolar Inheritance and Normal Hyphal Branching

Caroline J. Barelle,1 Mathias L. Richard,2 Claude Gaillardin,2 Neil A. R. Gow,1 and Alistair J. P. Brown1*

School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom,1 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Génétique Moléculaire, INA P-G UMR-INRA1238 UMR-CNRS2585, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France2

Received 5 August 2005/ Accepted 11 November 2005

Hyphal growth is prevalent during most Candida albicans infections. Current cell division models, which are based on cytological analyses of C. albicans, predict that hyphal branching is intimately linked with vacuolar inheritance in this fungus. Here we report the molecular validation of this model, showing that a specific mutation that disrupts vacuolar inheritance also affects hyphal division. The armadillo repeat-containing protein Vac8p plays an important role in vacuolar inheritance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The VAC8 gene was identified in the C. albicans genome sequence and was resequenced. Homozygous C. albicans vac8{Delta} deletion mutants were generated, and their phenotypes were examined. Mutant vac8{Delta} cells contained fragmented vacuoles, and minimal vacuolar material was inherited by daughter cells in hyphal or budding forms. Normal rates of growth and hyphal extension were observed for the mutant hyphae on solid serum-containing medium. However, branching frequencies were significantly increased in the mutant hyphae. These observations are consistent with a causal relationship between vacuolar inheritance and the cell division cycle in the subapical compartments of C. albicans hyphae. The data support the hypothesis that cytoplasmic volume, rather than cell size, is critical for progression through G1.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom. Phone: 44-1224-555883. Fax: 44-1224-555844. E-mail: al.brown{at}abdn.ac.uk.

Eukaryotic Cell, February 2006, p. 359-367, Vol. 5, No. 2
1535-9778/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/EC.5.2.359-367.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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Copyright © 2006 by the American Society for Microbiology.