ALS6 — Candida albicans

Summary

Candida albicans ALS6 (C3_06190C_A) encodes an agglutinin-like sequence (ALS) family adhesin, a cell-surface glycoprotein characterized by agglutinin-like repeat domains and an N-terminal adhesion domain. The protein localizes to the yeast-form and hyphal cell walls, the plasma membrane, and extracellular vesicles. ALS6 is associated with fibronectin, laminin, and peptide binding, and is linked to multiple adhesion-related processes including cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix adhesion, adhesion of symbiont to host, and biofilm formation (both single-species and multi-species). It has also been connected to host invasion, cytolysis, filamentous growth in response to neutral pH, reductive iron assimilation, and cellular copper ion homeostasis. Related genes in other species link the family to virulence and pathogenicity.