HWP1 — Candida albicans

Summary

C4_03570W_A (HWP1) in Candida albicans chromosome 4 encodes a protein containing a flocculin repeat domain and is annotated with calmodulin (CAM) binding molecular function. The gene is associated with hyphal cell wall localisation and multiple aspects of host interaction, including cell adhesion involved in single-species biofilm formation in or on the host organism, adhesion of symbiont to host endothelial cell, and filament development. HWP1 is linked to regulation of immune response, IL-8 and IL-1 production, antibody production, opsonization, and chronic inflammatory response. It is also associated with pruritus, response to neutral pH, response to farnesol, cell-cell signaling, cell migration, release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and the clinical condition candidiasis. Related genes in other species link the family to loss of pathogenicity.