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Methanol-inducible gene promoters in methanol-utilizing yeasts are used in high-level heterologous gene expression systems. Generally, expression of methanol-inducible genes is completely repressed by the presence of glucose. In this study we identified the MIG1 gene in Candida boidinii, which encodes a homologue of the glucose repressor Mig1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Disruption of the CbMIG1 gene had no growth effect on various carbon sources. Activation of the methanol-inducible AOD1 gene, which encodes alcohol oxidase, was increased in the early stage of methanol induction when cells of the CbMIG1-disrupted strain were transferred from glucose medium to methanol medium. Furthermore, CbMig1p tagged with yellow fluorescent protein was primarily localized in the nucleus of glucose-grown cells, but was diffuse in the cytosol of methanol-grown cells. This cytosolic diffusion in methanol-grown cells occurred in a CbMsn5p-dependent manner. These results suggest that CbMig1p is involved in negative regulation of methanol-inducible gene expression in C. boidinii., (Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Sophorolipids produced by the non-pathogenic yeast Candida bombicola ATCC 22214 are glycolipid biosurfactants applied commercially as biodegradable and eco-friendly detergents. Their low cell toxicity, excellent wetting capability and antimicrobial activity attract the attention of high-value markets, such as the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Although sophorolipid production yields have been increased by the optimization of fermentation parameters and feed sources, the biosynthetic pathway and genetic mechanism behind sophorolipid production still remains unclear. Here we identify a UDP-glucosyltransferase gene, UGTB1, with a key function in this economically important pathway. The protein shows sequence and structural homology to several bacterial glycosyltransferases involved in macrolide antibiotic synthesis. Deletion of UGTB1 in C. bombicola did not affect cell growth and resulted in a yeast producing glucolipids, thereby opening the route for in vivo production of these glycolipid intermediates. Activity assays on cell lysates confirmed that the identified gene is responsible for the second glucosylation step during sophorolipid production and illustrated that sophorolipid production in C. bombicola involves the stepwise action of two independent glucosyltransferases. The complete UGTB1 sequence data have been submitted to the GenBank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) under Accession No. HM440974., (Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Industrial production of L-lactic acid, which in polymerized form as poly-lactic acid is widely used as a biodegradable plastic, has been attracting world-wide attention. By genetic engineering we constructed a strain of the Crabtree-negative yeast Candida boidinii that efficiently produced a large amount of L-lactic acid. The alcohol fermentation pathway of C. boidinii was altered by disruption of the PDC1 gene encoding pyruvate decarboxylase, resulting in an ethanol production that was reduced to 17% of the wild-type strain. The alcohol fermentation pathway of the PDC1 deletion strain was then successfully utilized for the synthesis of L-lactic acid by placing the bovine L-lactate dehydrogenase-encoding gene under the control of the PDC1 promoter by targeted integration. Optimizing the conditions for batch culture in a 5 l jar-fermenter resulted in an L-lactic acid production reaching 85.9 g/l within 48 h. This productivity (1.79 g/l/h) is the highest thus far reported for L-lactic acid-producing yeasts.

The Congo red staining properties of Candida organisms in clinical tissue specimens have not, to the best of our knowledge, previously been reported. The objective of this study was to determine if the Congo red staining characteristics of Candida vs. Histoplasma, Pityrosporum and Blastomyces could provide useful diagnostic information. Archival tissue specimens that contained Histoplasma, Pityrosporum, Candida and Blastomyces were stained with Congo red. The results of the Congo red staining were compared with the diagnoses which were originally rendered on the tissue. Nine out of nine cases (100%) of Blastomyces were Gomori methenamine silver (GMS) positive and Congo red positive, seven out of seven cases (100%) of Histoplasma were GMS positive and Congo red negative, and eight out of eight cases (100%) that had Pityrosporum were GMS positive and Congo red positive; these results corroborate with previously described staining patterns for each respective organism. Nine out of nine cases (100%) that had Candida were GMS positive and Congo red negative. Differential Congo red staining of Candida organisms can provide a rapid and accurate method of diagnosis in tissue specimens vs. Blastomyces and Pityrosporum, but not vs. Histoplasma.

For a fast identification of eukaryotic cells such as yeast species without a cultivation step it should be possible to perform the investigation on only one single cell. Since yeasts as eukaryotes are heterogeneous and their Raman spectra are therefore dependent on the measuring position, one Raman spectra is not representative of the whole cell. In this contribution we demonstrate the application of average Raman spectra of a line scan over single yeast cells. These average spectra are used for classification with the help of a support vector machine., ((c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) catalyses the synthesis of asymmetric carbinols, e.g., chiral precursors for pharmaceuticals such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The production of PDC by Candida utilis in a minimal medium was improved by manipulating the pH during fermentation in a 5 L bioreactor. At an aeration rate of 0.1 vvm with a stirrer speed of 300 rpm at constant pH 6, a specific PDC activity of 141 U/g dry cell weight (DCW) was achieved (average of two fermentations +/-13%). By allowing the yeast to acidify the growth medium from pH 6 to 2.9, the final specific PDC activity increased by a factor of 2.7 to 385 U/g DCW (average from 4 fermentations +/-16%). The effect of this pH drift on PDC production was confirmed by another experiment with a manual shift of pH from 6 to 3 by addition of 5 M sulfuric acid. The final PDC activity was 392 U/g DCW (average from two fermentations +/-5%). However, experiments with constant pH of 6, 5, 4, or 3 resulted in average specific activities of only 102 to 141 U/g DCW, suggesting that a transitional pH change rather than the absolute pH value was responsible for the increased specific PDC activity., (Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

For the first time, the Carica papaya lipase (CPL) stored in crude papain is explored as a potential enantioselective biocatalyst for obtaining chiral acids from their racemic thioesters. Hydrolytic resolution of (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl thioester in water-saturated organic solvents is employed as a model system for studying the effects of temperature and solvents on lipase activity and enantioselectivity. An optimal temperature of 60 degrees C, based on the initial rate of (S)-thioester and a high enantiomeric ratio (i.e., E-value defined as the ratio of initial rates for both substrates) of >100 at 45 degrees C in isooctane, is obtained. Kinetic analysis, considering product inhibition and enzyme deactivation, is also performed, showing agreement between the experimental and best-fit conversions for (S)-thioester. A comparison of the kinetic and thermodynamic behaviors of CPL and Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) in isooctane and cyclohexane indicates that both lipases are very similar in terms of thermodynamic parameters DeltaDeltaH and DeltaDeltaS, initial rate of (S)-substrate, and E-value when (R,S)-naproxen 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl thioester or ester is employed as substrate., ((c) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This study is concerned with the development and application of kinetic locking-on and auxiliary tactics for bioaffinity purification of NADP(+)-dependent dehydrogenases, specifically (1) the synthesis and characterization of highly substituted N(6)-linked immobilized NADP(+) derivatives using a rapid solid-phase modular approach; (2) the evaluation of the N(6)-linked immobilized NADP(+) derivatives for use with the kinetic locking-on strategy for bioaffinity purification of NADP(+)-dependent dehydrogenases: Model bioaffinity chromatographic studies with glutamate dehydrogenase from bovine liver (GDH with dual cofactor specificity, EC 1.4.1.3) and glutamate dehydrogenase from Candida utilis (GDH which is NADP(+)-specific, EC 1.4.1.4); (3) the selection of an effective "stripping ligand" for NADP(+)-dehydrogenase bioaffinity purifications using N(6)-linked immobilized NADP(+) derivatives in the locking-on mode; and (4) the application of the developed bioaffinity chromatographic system to the purification of C. utilis GDH from a crude cellular extract. Results confirm that the newly developed N(6)-linked immobilized NADP(+) derivatives are suitable for the one-step bioaffinity purification of NADP(+)-dependent GDH provided that they are used in the locking-on mode, steps are taken to inhibit alkaline phosphatase activity in crude cellular extracts, and 2',5'-ADP is used as the stripping ligand during chromatography. The general principles described here are supported by a specific sample enzyme purification; the purification of C. utilis GDH to electrophoretic homogeneity in a single bioaffinity chromatographic step (specific activity, 9.12 micromol/min/mg; purification factor, 83.7; yield 88%). The potential for development of analogous bioaffinity systems for other NADP(+)-dependent dehydrogenases is also discussed., (Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 81: 356-369, 2003.)

The Mig1p repressor from the food yeast Candida utilis has been isolated using a homologous PCR hybridization probe. This probe was amplified with two sets of degenerate primers designed on the basis of highly conserved motifs in the DNA-binding region (zinc-finger domain) from yeast Mig1p and fungi CreA repressors. The cloned gene was sequenced and found to encode a polypeptide of 345 amino acids which shows significant identity with other yeast and fungus repressors in the DNA-binding domain and also with the yeast Mig1 proteins in the C-terminal region (effector domain). The MIG1 repressor gene from C. utilis was able to complement functionally the mig1 mutation of S. cerevisiae. The sequence presented here has been deposited in the EMBL data library under Accession No. AJ277830., (Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

This review describes how the versatile Candida rugosa lipases (CRL) have extended the frontiers of biotechnology. As evidenced by the current literature, CRL claims more applications than any other biocatalyst. This review comprises a detailed discussion on the molecular biology of CRL, its versatile catalytic reactions, broad specificities and diverse immobilization strategies. It also discusses its role in the food and flavour industry, the production of ice cream and single cell protein, biocatalytic resolution of life-saving pharmaceuticals, carbohydrate esters and amino acid derivatives unobtainable by conventional chemical synthesis, potent biocide making, biosensor modulations, eco-friendly approach and bioremediation, biosurfactants in detergent making, and recently, cosmetics and perfumery.

DnaJ proteins have been localized in different intracellular compartments of eukaryotes. In Apiotrichum curvatum, a fat-storing yeast, we found a DnaJ homolog associated with ribosomes and large cytosolic complexes as well. Using a plant DnaJ probe and a cDNA library constructed from poly(A)(+)-RNA of A. curvatum grown on oleate we isolated a SIS1 cDNA coding for a 39.5 kDa protein. The putative protein contains neither a zinc finger motif nor a CAAX motif but is characterized by a J-domain at the N-terminal region and a large G-rich region in the middle part of the molecule. Heat shock applied for 1 h resulted in a pronounced but transient increase of the SIS1 mRNA. An antiserum was raised against the bacterially expressed protein. Cell fractions from A. curvatum were further separated by sedimentation centrifugation on sucrose gradients. Analysing the sub-fractions, we detected Sis1p mainly associated with ribosomes, and with particles sedimenting at approximately 200S. Hsp70 was found to be associated with the 200S fraction. The respective cytosolic A. curvatum Hsp70 cDNA was cloned and sequenced. High salt conditions caused the removal of Hsp70 and Sis1p from the 200S complexes. Mild RNase treatment of the 200S fraction afforded monosomes and 200S complexes unaffected by RNase. Heat shock led to a pronounced increase in the rate of de novo synthesis. However, due to the large pools of Sis1p on ribosomes and large cytosolic complexes, the increase in gene activation did not lead to a significant change of the total amount of Sis1p.

A highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specific to (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans (GBP-ELISA) has been developed using a novel (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan-binding protein (T-GBP), which was purified from the amebocyte lysate of the Japanese horseshoe crab, Tachypleus tridentatus. This method allowed quantitation of the glucans in a concentration range of 0.1-1,000 ng/ml, regardless of linear and branched structures, and was applied to determine the amounts of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in human and animal plasmas for diagnosis of fungemia. High levels of plasma glucan contents in clinical samples were found to be correlated closely with the severity of fungal infection. T-GBP was successfully utilized for indirect immunofluorescence staining of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in Candida albicans cell walls.

Candida boidinii is a methylotrophic yeast in which several growth substrates can cause vigorous peroxisomal proliferation. While such diverse substrates as methanol, oleic acid and D-alanine induce different peroxisomal metabolic pathways, membranes seem to contain common abundant peroxisomal membrane proteins (PMPs). These proteins have been termed PMP31, PMP32 and PMP47. The gene encoding PMP47 has been previously cloned and analysed. We now report the isolation of a second PMP47 gene (or allele) as well as PMP31 and PMP32. PMP47A and PMP47B share 95% sequence identity at the amino acid level. PMP31 and PMP32 each contain 256 amino acids and are highly similar (97% identity) in protein sequence. Both PMP31 and PMP32 are predicted to span the membrane once or twice. All abundant PMPs of C. boidinii are basic in charge; they all have predicted isoelectric points above 10. RNAs corresponding to the PMP47s and to PMPs31-32 are strongly induced by methanol, oleic acid and D-alanine. While the PMP47s probably encode substrate carriers, the functions of PMP31 and PMP32 from C. boidinii are still unknown.

PXP-18 is a 14-kDa major peroxisomal protein of the yeast Candida tropicalis and a homologue of the non-specific lipid-transfer protein (nsLTP) of mammals. Mammalian nsLTP is thought to facilitate the contact of membranes, to stimulate lipid-transfer between them. If PXP-18 functions like nsLTP, it must be present on organelle membranes. Immunoelectron microscopy of C. tropicalis cells indicated that gold particles, which visualized PXP-18, localized exclusively in the matrix of peroxisomes. Subcellular fractionation followed by Western blotting revealed the association of PXP-18 with peroxisomes in C. tropicalis cells. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that almost all the PXP-18 associated with peroxisomes was detectable after the solubilization of the organelle but not before, implying the predominance of PXP-18 inside peroxisomes. This differential assay was applied to the intracellular import of the intact and truncated PXP-18s expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Most of the intact PXP-18 was shown to be imported into the matrix of host-cell peroxisomes, whereas the truncated PXP-18, which lacked the C-terminal tripeptide Pro-Lys-Leu, no longer targeted peroxisomes. These results are consistent with the view that PXP-18 is the matrix protein of peroxisomes and must function in a system other than that of lipid transfer.

The carboxyl-terminal tripeptide Ala-Lys-Ile is essential for targeting Candida tropicalis trifunctional enzyme (hydratase-dehydrogenase-epimerase) to peroxisomes of both Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Aitchison,J.D., Murray, W.W. and Rachubinski, R. A. (1991).J. Biol. Chem. 266, 23197-23203). We investigated the possibility that this tripeptide may act as a general peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) for other proteins in the yeasts C. tropicalis, C. albicans, Yarrowia lipolytica and S. cerevisiae, and in rat liver. Anti-AKI antibodies raised against the carboxyl-terminal 12 amino acids of trifunctional enzyme were used to search for this PTS in proteins of these yeasts and of rat liver. The anti-AKI antibodies reacted exclusively with multiple peroxisomal proteins from the yeasts C. tropicalis, C. albicans and Y. lipolytica. There was a weak reaction of the antibodies with one peroxisomal protein from S. cerevisiae and no reaction with peroxisomal proteins from rat liver. Antibodies directed against a synthetic peptide containing a carboxyl-terminal Ser-Lys-Leu PTS (Gould, S. J., Krisans, S., Keller, G.-A. and Subramani, S. (1990). J. Cell Biol. 110,27-34) reacted with multiple peroxisomal proteins of rat liver and with peroxisomal proteins of yeast distinct from those identified with anti-AKI antibodies. These results provide evidence that several peroxisomal proteins of different yeasts contain a PTS antigenically similar to that of C. tropicalis trifunctional enzyme and that this signal is absent from peroxisomal proteins from at least one mammalian system, rat liver.