A Candida albicans 37 kDa polypeptide with homology to the laminin receptor is a component of the translational machinery

Abstract

A cDNA encoding a 37 kDa protein was isolated from an expression library using antibodies raised against mycelial cell walls fromCandida albicans.The 37 kDa protein has over 60% sequence identity with the 37 kDa laminin-binding protein (LBP) from humans and over 80% identity with the Yst proteins ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae. TheC. albicansprotein was named CaYst1. It was found in membrane and ribosome fractions but surprisingly, was not found in cell walls. Unlike the human LBP, CaYst1p does not bind laminin. These data indicate that CaYst1p is not a cell-surface receptor for laminin as has been proposed for the human LBP. Instead, like theS. cerevisiaeYst proteins, it appears to be a ribosomal protein. This conclusion is supported by the finding thatCaYST1-cDNA complements the lethal phenotype linked to the disruption of bothYSTgenes inS. cerevisiae.