Analysis of Rbr2 gene sequences in molecular systematics perspective and their implications for Candida albicans epidemiology

• Grant number: 07/02125-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2007
• End date: September 30, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Ribeiro da Silva Briones
• Grantee: Luiz Fernando Alvarez
• Host Institution: Departamento de Informatica em Saúde. Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In invasive candidiasis, the main blood borne antigens are the mannoproteins. Those have important epitopes to the innate and aquired immune responses. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisieae possess in its wall great ammounts of a mannosylated protein called Tip1, which expressin is involved with cold chock response. This protein is homologous to the Rbr2, a not well known protein present at Candida albicans´s cell wall. Therefore, given that termic chock proteins and mannoproteins are typical targets of the host´s immune system; the phylogenetic proximity between these fungi; and the the temperature shock answers´s evolutive conservation, it is expected that the Rbr2 is present at C. albicans´s cell wall in great ammounts, and that it is involved in the immune response against this fungus. In this project the polymorphism of the gene RBR2 will be investigated in different strains, with the intent to investigate the existence of selective pressure and to generate a phylogenetic gene tree. We expect that this gene is a potential epidemilogic marker. It will be also investigated the presence of specific antibodies against this protein in patient´s serum in different stages of infection.