N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i>
The sensing and efficient utilization of environmental nutrients are critical for the survival of microorganisms in environments where nutrients are limited, such as within mammalian hosts. <i>Candida albicans</i> is a common member of the human microbiota as well as an opportunistic fun...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Fungi |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/3/129 |
| _version_ | 1797559797052080128 |
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| author | Han Du Craig L. Ennis Aaron D. Hernday Clarissa J. Nobile Guanghua Huang |
| author_facet | Han Du Craig L. Ennis Aaron D. Hernday Clarissa J. Nobile Guanghua Huang |
| author_sort | Han Du |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The sensing and efficient utilization of environmental nutrients are critical for the survival of microorganisms in environments where nutrients are limited, such as within mammalian hosts. <i>Candida albicans</i> is a common member of the human microbiota as well as an opportunistic fungal pathogen. The amide derivative sugar N-acetlyglucosamine (GlcNAc) is an important signaling molecule for <i>C. albicans</i> that could be a major nutrient source for this fungus in host settings. In this article, we review progress made over the past two decades on GlcNAc utilization, sensing, and functions in <i>C. albicans</i> and its related fungal species. GlcNAc sensing and catabolic pathways have been intensively studied in <i>C. albicans</i>. The <i>C. albicans</i> protein Ngt1 represents the first identified GlcNAc-specific transporter in eukaryotic organisms. In <i>C. albicans</i>, GlcNAc not only induces morphological transitions including the yeast to hyphal transition and the white to opaque phenotypic switch, but it also promotes fungal cell death. The Ras-cAMP/PKA signaling pathway plays critical roles in regulating these processes. Given the importance of GlcNAc sensing and utilization in <i>C. albicans</i>, targeting GlcNAc associated pathways and key pathway components could be promising in the development of new antifungal strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:51:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e224103e60ff4f0d8d07b47b590a554f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:51:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj.art-e224103e60ff4f0d8d07b47b590a554f2023-11-20T09:22:22ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2020-08-016312910.3390/jof6030129N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i>Han Du0Craig L. Ennis1Aaron D. Hernday2Clarissa J. Nobile3Guanghua Huang4State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, ChinaDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USADepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USADepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USAState Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, ChinaThe sensing and efficient utilization of environmental nutrients are critical for the survival of microorganisms in environments where nutrients are limited, such as within mammalian hosts. <i>Candida albicans</i> is a common member of the human microbiota as well as an opportunistic fungal pathogen. The amide derivative sugar N-acetlyglucosamine (GlcNAc) is an important signaling molecule for <i>C. albicans</i> that could be a major nutrient source for this fungus in host settings. In this article, we review progress made over the past two decades on GlcNAc utilization, sensing, and functions in <i>C. albicans</i> and its related fungal species. GlcNAc sensing and catabolic pathways have been intensively studied in <i>C. albicans</i>. The <i>C. albicans</i> protein Ngt1 represents the first identified GlcNAc-specific transporter in eukaryotic organisms. In <i>C. albicans</i>, GlcNAc not only induces morphological transitions including the yeast to hyphal transition and the white to opaque phenotypic switch, but it also promotes fungal cell death. The Ras-cAMP/PKA signaling pathway plays critical roles in regulating these processes. Given the importance of GlcNAc sensing and utilization in <i>C. albicans</i>, targeting GlcNAc associated pathways and key pathway components could be promising in the development of new antifungal strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/3/129cell surface receptorNgt1N-acetylglucosamineGlcNAcGlcNAc utilizationmorphological transitions |
| spellingShingle | Han Du Craig L. Ennis Aaron D. Hernday Clarissa J. Nobile Guanghua Huang N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i> Journal of Fungi cell surface receptor Ngt1 N-acetylglucosamine GlcNAc GlcNAc utilization morphological transitions |
| title | N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i> |
| title_full | N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i> |
| title_fullStr | N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i> |
| title_short | N-Acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) Sensing, Utilization, and Functions in <i>Candida albicans</i> |
| title_sort | n acetylglucosamine glcnac sensing utilization and functions in i candida albicans i |
| topic | cell surface receptor Ngt1 N-acetylglucosamine GlcNAc GlcNAc utilization morphological transitions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/3/129 |
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