Role of Retrograde Trafficking in Stress Response, Host Cell Interactions, and Virulence of Candida albicans

Abstract

ABSTRACTInSaccharomyces cerevisiae, the vacuolar protein sorting complexes Vps51/52/53/54 and Vps15/30/34/38 are essential for efficient endosome-to-Golgi complex retrograde transport. Here we investigated the function of Vps15 and Vps51, representative members of these complexes, in the stress resistance, host cell interactions, and virulence ofCandida albicans. We found thatC. albicansvps15Δ/Δ andvps51Δ/Δ mutants had abnormal vacuolar morphology, impaired retrograde protein trafficking, and dramatically increased susceptibility to a variety of stressors. These mutants also had reduced capacity to invade and damage oral epithelial cellsin vitroand attenuated virulence in the mouse model of oropharyngeal candidiasis. Proteomic analysis of the cell wall of thevps51Δ/Δ mutant revealed increased levels of the Crh11 and Utr2 transglycosylases, which are targets of the calcineurin signaling pathway. The transcript levels of the calcineurin pathway membersCHR11,UTR2,CRZ1,CNA1, andCNA2were elevated in thevps15Δ/Δ andvps51Δ/Δ mutants. Furthermore, these strains were highly sensitive to the calcineurin-specific inhibitor FK506. Also, deletion ofCHR11andUTR2further increased the stress susceptibility of these mutants. In contrast, overexpression ofCRH11andUTR2partially rescued their defects in stress resistance, but not host cell interactions. Therefore, intact retrograde trafficking inC. albicansis essential for stress resistance, host cell interactions, and virulence. Aberrant retrograde trafficking stimulates the calcineurin signaling pathway, leading to the increased expression of Chr11 and Utr2, which enablesC. albicansto withstand environmental stress.