Dp. Bockmuhl et Jf. Ernst, A potential phosphorylation site for an A-type kinase in the Efg1 regulator protein contributes to hyphal morphogenesis of Candida albicans, GENETICS, 157(4), 2001, pp. 1523-1530
Efg1p in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a member of the cons
erved APSES class of proteins regulating morphogenetic processes in fungi.
We have analyzed the importance for hyphal morphogenesis of a putative phos
phorylation site for protein kinase A (PKA), threonine-206, within an Efg1p
domain highly conserved among APSES proteins. Alanine substitution of T206
, but not of the adjacent T207 and T208 residues, led to a block of hypha f
ormation on solid and in liquid media, while a T206E exchange caused hyperf
ilamentation. The extent of the morphogenetic defect caused by the T206A mu
tation depended on hypha-induction conditions. Extragenous suppression of m
utations in signaling components, including tpk2 and cek1 mutations, was ac
hieved by wild-type- and T206E-, but not high production levels supported p
seudohyphal formation. The results are consistent with a role of Efg1p as a
central downstream component of a PKA-signaling pathway including Tpk2p or
other PKA isoforms. Threonine-206 of Efg1p is essential as a putative phos
phorylation target to promote hyphal induction by a subset of environmental
cues.