Abstract
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, inositol polyphosphate kinase KCS1 but not VIP1 knockout is of great significance for maintaining cell viability, promoting glycolysis metabolism, and inducing mitochondrial damage. The functions of Candida albicans inositol polyphosphate kinases Kcs1 and Vip1 have not yet been studied. In this study, we found that the growth rate of C. albicans vip1Δ/Δ strain in glucose medium was reduced and the upregulation of glycolysis was accompanied by a decrease in mitochondrial activity, resulting in a large accumulation of lipid droplets, along with an increase in cell wall chitin and cell membrane permeability, eventually leading to cell death. Relieving intracellular glycolysis rate or increasing mitochondrial metabolism can reduce lipid droplet accumulation, causing a reduction in chitin content and cell membrane permeability. The growth activity and energy metabolism of the vip1Δ/Δ strains in a non-fermentable carbon source glycerol medium were not different from those of the wild-type strains, indicating that knocking out VIP1 did not cause mitochondria damage. Moreover, C. albicans KCS1 knockout did not affect cell activity and energy metabolism. Thus, in C. albicans, Vip1 is more important than Kcs1 in regulating cell viability and energy metabolism.
Highlights
Candida albicans is a conditionally pathogenic fungus, and a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the fungus helps us to treat and prevent the pathogen more effectively
This study aims to explore the significance of C. albicans Kcs1 and Vip1 in cell growth and energy metabolism, including glycolysis, mitochondrial activity, and lipid droplet metabolism
IP6K1 is the homolog of KCS1 in S. cerevisiae, and knockout of this gene can promote glycolysis and reduce lipid droplet content (Wu et al, 2005; Chakraborty et al, 2010; Lev et al, 2015; Zhu et al, 2017)
Summary
Candida albicans is a conditionally pathogenic fungus, and a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the fungus helps us to treat and prevent the pathogen more effectively. Normal energy metabolism is conducive to maintaining the metabolic balance of the living body (Gan et al, 2010), and an in-depth exploration of the energy metabolism of C. albicans helps us to have a deep understanding of the pathogen. In C. albicans, energy metabolism is closely related to its virulence such as hyphae development, cell wall synthesis, and drug resistance. C. albicans is a Crabtree-negative cell, which means that its growth is mainly dependent on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and damage to the mitochondrial respiratory chain will directly affect the viability of the cell (Duvenage et al, 2019).
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