Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Different protein kinase C isoforms are present in the yeast and mycelium forms of Sporothrix schenckii

  • Published:
Mycopathologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in the control of proliferation and differentiation of a wide range of cell types, and fungi are no exception. Previous results reported by us on the effects of the phorbol ester, 12-myristate-13-acetate phorbol (PMA) and other PKC effector molecules, on dimorphism in Sporothrix schenckii suggested the presence of this enzyme in the fungus and its involvement in the control of morphogenetic transitions. The work summarized here confirms the presence of PKC in yeast and mycelium extracts of S. schenckii. Different isoforms of this enzyme were found to be present in the yeast and mycelium forms of the fungus and were identified by Western blot analysis using affinity purified anti-PKC isoforms specific antibodies: the γ and ζ isoforms were detected in both the yeast and mycelium forms of the fungus, while the β isoform was only detected in the yeast form. The presence of PKC was confirmed biochemically by measuring total enzyme activity in both forms of the fungus. No significant differences were observed for the PKC activity level recorded for both the mycelium and yeast forms of the fungus (p ≤ 0.05). These data confirm the presence of PKC activity in Sporothrix schenckii and constitutes the first evidence concerning the differential expression of PKC isoforms in the mycelium and yeast forms of a dimorphic fungus, supporting the possible involvement of this important signal transduction enzyme in the control of morphogenesis in this fungus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Alsina A, Rodríguez-del Valle N. Effects of divalent (cations and functionally related substances on the yeast to mycelium transition in Sporothrix schenckii. Sabouradia 1984; 22: 1–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rodríguez-del Valle N, Debs-Elfas, N, Alsina A. Effects of caffeine, cyclic 3',5' guanosine monophosphate and cyclic 3',5' monophosphate in the development of the mycelial form of Sporothrix schenckii. Mycopathologia 1984; 86: 29–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Serrano, S, Rodríguez-del Valle N. Calcium uptake and efflux during the yeast tomycelium transition in Sporothrix schenckii. Mycopathogia 1990; 112: 1–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Rodríguez-del Valle N, Rodríguez-Medina J. Calcium stimulates molecular and cellular events during the yeast to mycelial transition in Sporothrix schenckii. J Med Vet Mycol 1993; 31: 43–53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kikkawa U, Kishimoto A, Nishizuka Y. The protein kinase C family: heterogeneity and its implications. Ann Rev Biochem 1989; 58: 31–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Nishizuka Y. Studies and perspectives of protein Kinase C. Science 1989; 233: 305–312.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Nishizuka Y. The molecular heterogeneity of protein kinase C and its implication for cellular regulation. Nature 1988; 334: 661–665.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nishizuka Y. Intracellular signaling by hydrolysis of phospholipids and activation of protein kinase C. Science 1992; 258: 607–614.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Coussens L, Parker PJ, Rhee L, Yang-Feng TL, Chen E, Water-field MD, Francke U, Ullrich A. Multiple, distinct forms of bovine and human protein kinase C suggest diversity in cellular signaling pathways. Science 1986; 233: 859–866.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Osada S, Mizuno K, Saido TC, Akita Y, Suzuki K, Kuroki T, Ohno S. A phorbol ester receptor/protein kinase, nPKCn, a new member of the protein kinase C family predominantly expressed in lung and skin. J Biol Chem 1990; 265: 22434–22440.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Berry N, Ase K, Kikkawa U, Kishimoto A, Nishizuka Y. Human T cell activation by phorbol esters and diacylglycerol analogues. J Immunol 1989; 143: 1407–1413.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Farooqui AA, Farooqui T, Yates AJ, Horrocks LA. Regulation of protein kinase C activity by various lipids. Neurochem, Res 1988; 13: 499–511.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Colón-Colón W, Rodríguez-del Valle N. Studies on phase transitions in Sporothrix schenckii: Possible involvement of Protein Kinase C. In: Vanden Bossche, H, Odds, FC., Kerridge, D, eds. Dimorphic Fungi in Biology and Medicine. New York: Plenum Publishing Co., 1993: 225–246.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Levin DE, Fields FO, Kunisawa R, Bishop JM, Thorner J A. A candidate protein kinase C gene, PKC-1, is required for the S. cerevisiae cell cycle. Cell 1990; 62: 213–224.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Parvicini G, Mendoza A, Antonsson B, Cooper M, Losberger C, Payton MA. The Candida albicans PKC-1 gene encodes a protein kinase C homolog necessary for cellular integrity but not dimorphism. Yeast 1996; 12: 741–756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Betancourt S, Torres-Bauz´a LJ, Rodríguez-del Valle N. Molecular and cellular events during the yeast to mycelium transition in Sporothrix schenckii. Sabouraudia 1985; 23: 207–209.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Mendonça L, Gorin PAJ, Lloyd KO, Travassos, LR Polymophism of S. schenckii surface polysaccharides as a function of morphological differentiation. Biochemistry 1976; 15: 2423–2431.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Resto S, Rodríguez-del Valle N. Yeast cell cycle of Sporothrix schenckii. J Med Vet Mycol 1988; 26: 13–24.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Laemmli UK. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the bacteriophage T4. Nature 1970; 227: 680–685.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J. Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some application. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 1979; 76: 4350–4354.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Henrich CJ. Tools for the study of protein kinase C and its isozymes. Focus 1991; 13: 133–136.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Beh I, Schmidt R, Hecker E. Two isozymes of PKC found in HL-60 cells show a difference in activation by phorbol ester TPA. FEBS Lett. 1989; 249: 264–266.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Borner C, Ueffing M, Jaken S, Parker PJ, Weistein IB. Two closely related isoforms of Protein kinase C produces recipro115 cal effects on the growth of rat fibroblasts. J Biol Chem 1995; 270: 78–86.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Ono Y, Fujii T, Ogita K, Kikawa U, Igaroshi K, Nizhizuka Y. Protein kinase C μ form rat brain: Its structure, expression and properties. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 1988; 86: 3099–3103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Yoshitaka O, Tomoko F, Kouji O, Ushio K, Koichi I, Nishizuka Y. Protein kinase C μ subspecies from rat brain: Its structure, expression and properties. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 1989; 86: 3099–3103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico

    Edna E. Aquino-Piñero & Nuri Rodríguez-del Valle

Authors
  1. Edna E. Aquino-Piñero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nuri Rodríguez-del Valle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aquino-Piñero, E.E., Rodríguez-del Valle, N. Different protein kinase C isoforms are present in the yeast and mycelium forms of Sporothrix schenckii . Mycopathologia 138, 109–115 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006851728433

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006851728433

Search

Navigation