ASPB — Candida albicans

Summary

ASPB (also known as CDC3, CaSPN5, SPN5, CaCDC3, SPN1, CaASPB, CaSPN1) on chromosome 1 of Candida albicans encodes a septin family protein with a G_SEPTIN domain and P-loop NTPase domain. The product exhibits GTP binding, structural constituent of cytoskeleton activity, and phosphatidylinositol-5-phosphate, 1-phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate binding. It localizes to the cellular bud neck septin structure, hyphal septin ring, and mitotic septin complex. ASPB is associated with cytokinesis, septin ring assembly and disassembly, cell polarity maintenance, chitin localization, and ER polarization. Phenotypic associations include normal budding and viability, but also abnormal cell cycle progression, increased aneuploidy, altered colony shape, increased mating efficiency, and decreased necrotic cell death. The gene is linked to resistance to chemicals, increased fermentative and anaerobic growth, and altered vesicle, ER, and Golgi distribution. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to reduced virulence.