Candida albicans ALS3 and insights into the nature of the ALS gene family

Curr Genet. 1998 Jun;33(6):451-9. doi: 10.1007/s002940050359.

Abstract

The ALS1 (agglutinin-like sequence) gene of Candida albicans encodes a protein similar to alpha-agglutinin, a cell-surface adhesion glycoprotein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Hoyer et al. 1995). A central domain of a tandemly repeated 108-bp sequence is found in the ALS1 coding region. This tandem-repeat motif hybridizes to multiple C. albicans genomic DNA fragments, indicating the possibility of other ALS1-like genes in C. albicans (Hoyer et al. 1995). To determine if these fragments constitute a gene family, tandem-repeat-hybridizing genomic fragments were isolated from a fosmid library by PCR screening using primers based on the consensus tandem-repeat sequence of ALS1 (Hoyer et al. 1995). One group of fosmids, designated ALS3, encodes a gene with 81% identity to ALS1. The sequences of ALS1 and ALS3 are most conserved in the tandem-repeat domain and in the region 5' of the tandem repeats. Northern-blot analysis using unique probes from the 3' end of each gene demonstrated that ALS1 expression varies, depending on which C. albicans strain is examined, and that ALS3 is hyphal-specific. Both genes are found in a variety of C. albicans and C. stellatoidea strains examined. The predicted Als1p and Als3p exhibit features suggesting that both are cell-surface glycoproteins. Southern blots probed with conserved sequences from the region 5' of the tandem repeats suggest that other ALS-like sequences are present in the C. albicans genome and that the ALS family may be larger than originally estimated.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Candida albicans / chemistry
  • Candida albicans / genetics*
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Fungal / analysis
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • DNA, Fungal / isolation & purification
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Genes, Fungal / genetics*
  • Genomic Library
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics

Substances

  • ALS1 protein, Candida albicans
  • ALS3 protein, Candida albicans
  • DNA, Fungal
  • Fungal Proteins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/U87956