Highly specific proline transporter identified in Candida albicans

The yeast Candida albicans is capable of utilizing a variety of nutrients, which allows the fungus to colonize and infect different host niches. Amino acids are abundant carbon and nitrogen sources in the human host and have been shown to influence the virulence of the fungus. Enrico Garbe and colleagues of the JRG Host Fungal Interfaces (head: Dr. Slavena Vylkova) together with collaborators of the Lorenz lab (Houston, TX) have identified the amino acid permease Gnp2 as a specialized proline transporter in C. albicans. They have shown, that Gnp2 is essential for proline-induced hyphal formation in the fungus as well as for the resistence against response mechanisms of the immune system. These results have now been published in the journal mBio.

Garbe E, Miramón P, Gerwien F, Ueberschaar N, Hansske-Brauna L, Brand P, Böttcher B, Lorenz M, Vylkova S (2022) Gnp2 Encodes a High-Specificity Proline Permease in Candida albicans. mBio 13(1), e03142-21 https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03142-21