ISOLATION OF CANCHS1A, A VARIANT GENE OF CANDIDA-ALBICANS CHITIN SYNTHASE

A canCHS1A gene encoding the chitin synthase of Candida albicans was c loned. DNA sequencing and comparison with another canCHS1 gene describ ed elsewhere indicated that the canCHS1A gene encoded a polypeptide wi th 775 amino acid residues, a protein with one less amino acid than th at encoded by the canCHS1 gene. A six-base alteration was observed bet ween the two genes, suggesting that the canCHS1A gene is a variant gen e of the canCHS1. The ph profile/activity relationship of canChs1A in permeabilized cells was identical to that of canChs1. The canChs1A enz yme was competitively inhibited by polyoxin D (5.2 mu M) and nikkomyci n Z (12 mu M). When the cloned gene was expressed in a Saccharomyces c erevisiae chs2 mutant that exhibited aberrant morphology, the normal s tructure was restored. We conclude that the function of the canCHS1A g ene is similar to that of sacCHS2 in S. cerevisiae.