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Farnesol inhibits translation to limit growth and filamentation in C. albicans and S. cerevisiae

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: Candida albicans is a polymorphic yeast where the capacity to switch between yeast and filamentous growth is critical for pathogenicity.Farnesol is a quorum-sensing sesquiterpene alcohol that, via regulation of specific signalling and transcription components, inhibits filamentous growth in C. albicans.Here we show that farnesol also inhibits translation at the initiation step in both C. albicans and S. cerevisiae.In contrast to fusel alcohols, that target the eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B), farnesol affects the interaction of the mRNA with the small ribosomal subunit leading to reduced levels of the 48S preinitiation ribosomal complex in S. cerevisiae.Therefore, farnesol targets a different step in the translation pathway than fusel alcohols to elicit a completely opposite physiological outcome by negating filamentous growth.

Source: Microbial Cell

DOI: 10.15698/mic2017.09.589

Authors: Nkechi E. Egbe, Tawni O. Dornelles, Caroline M. Paget, Lydia M. Castelli, Mark P. Ashe

Institutions: Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Nigerian Defence Academy, University of Sheffield

Language: English

Topic: Fungal and yeast genetics research

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,327

Funders: Wellcome Trust, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council