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Differential Expression of Secretory Aspartyl Proteinase Genes (SAP1-10) in Oral Candida albicans Isolates with Distinct Karyotypes

ABSTRACT Two karyotypes of oral Candida albicans isolates, named b and c, constituted >80% of a collection from healthy carriers (22 b and 16 c isolates) and oral candidiasis patients who were either infected (31 b and 16 c isolates) or uninfected (13 b and 38 c isolates) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The prevalence of the b and c karyotypes within HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients, respectively, who were suffering from oral candidiasis (P ≤ 0.0001) suggested that these two types possessed different virulence potentials. Since C. albicans proteinases (Saps) are virulence factors in oral candidiasis, we evaluated whether the b and c karyotypes secreted different levels of Saps and expressed different patterns of Sap-encoding genes (SAP1-10). We found that the mean value of Sap activity was significantly lower (P = 0.003) in the commensal type than in the infectious b karyotype, whereas Sap activity in the commensal c type was as high as that registered for the infectious c strains. Marked differences in SAP mRNA expression were observed in commensal strains under non-Sap-inducing conditions, with all SAP genes being expressed only by strains with the c karyotype; interestingly, none of the commensal b strains expressed SAP2. In addition, while all of the SAP1-10 genes were detectable under Sap-inducing conditions, the timing of their expression during growth differed significantly, with mRNAs of SAP1-10 genes detected at 8 and 24 h postinoculation in c and b commensal strains, respectively. This provides the first evidence that commensal oral C. albicans isolates with distinct karyotypes are characterized by different patterns of SAP1-10 gene expression and different levels of Sap secretion.