Stress proteins and stress tolerance in an Antarctic, psychrophilic yeast, Candida psychrophila

Nutritional stress proteins in Candida albicans.

Starving cells of Candida albicans synthesize at least seven proteins that represent nutritional-stress proteins (NSP). Such NSPs are formed by both germination-competent and germination-deficient strains of C. albicans. Heat-shock proteins (HSP) are not formed by starving cells. Germination-competent cells synthesize specific sets of proteins when incubated in a starvation medium that contains...

Cold-stress responses in the Antarctic basidiomycetous yeast Mrakia blollopis

Microbes growing at subzero temperatures encounter numerous growth constraints. However, fungi that inhabit cold environments can grow and decompose organic compounds under subzero temperatures. Thus, understanding the cold-adaptation strategies of fungi under extreme environments is critical for elucidating polar-region ecosystems. Here, I report that two strains of the Antarctic basidiomyceto...

Stress tolerance in a yeast sterol auxotroph: role of ergosterol, heat shock proteins and trehalose.

The role of ergosterol in yeast stress tolerance, together with heat shock proteins (hsps) and trehalose, was examined in a sterol auxotrophic mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ergosterol levels paralleled viability data, with cells containing higher levels of the sterol exhibiting greater tolerances to heat and ethanol. Although the mutant synthesised hsps and accumulated trehalose upon heat...

Nitric oxide and nitrosative stress tolerance in yeast.

The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans encounters diverse environmental stresses when it is in contact with its host. When colonizing and invading human tissues, C. albicans is exposed to ROS (reactive oxygen species) and RNIs (reactive nitrogen intermediates). ROS and RNIs are generated in the first line of host defence by phagocytic cells such as macrophages and neutrophils....

Antarctic Stress and Vitamin Requirements