LYS21 and LYS22 genes from Candida albicans encoding isoforms of homocitrate synthase (HCS), an enzyme catalyzing the first committed step in the L-lysine biosynthetic pathway, were cloned and expressed as NoligoHistagged fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. The purified gene products revealed HCS activity, i.e. catalyzed the condensation of α-ketoglutarate with acetyl-coenzyme A to yield homocitrate. The recombinant enzymes were purified...

Systemic infections caused by human pathogenic fungi in immunocompromized patients continue to be one of the important clinical problems. Limited availability of safe and efficacious antifungal chemotherapeutics and emerging resistance to existing drugs stimulates search for novel molecular targets for antifungals. The α-aminoadipate pathway (AAP) of L-lysine biosynthesis is unique in fungi and thus has been so far considered...

A BLAST search of the Candida Genome Database with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae LYS4 sequence known to encode homoaconitase (HA) revealed ORFs 19.3846 and 19.11327. Both alleles of the LYS4 gene were sequentially disrupted in Candida albicans BWP17 cells using PCR-based methodology. The null lys4Δ mutant exhibited lysine auxotrophy in minimal medium but was able to grow in the presence of L-Lys and α-aminoadipate, an intermediate...

Aminoadipate aminotransferase (AmAA) is an enzyme of α-aminoadipate pathway (AAP) for l-lysine biosynthesis. AmAA may also participated in biosynthesis or degradation of aromatic amino acids and in d-tryptophan based pigment production. The AAP is unique for fungal microorganisms. Enzymes involved in this pathway have specific structures and properties. These features can be used as potential molecular markers. Enzymes catalyzing...

A number of factors are known to be involved in Candida albicans virulence, although biofilm development on the surfaces of indwelling medical devices is considered to promote superficial or systemic disease. Based on previously reported up-regulation of saccharopine and acetyllysine in biofilm cells and activation of the lysine biosynthesis/degradation pathway, we investigated...