Protease Sapp3p of the pathogenic yeast Candida parapsilosis

Pathogenic yeasts of the genus Candida can cause systemic diseases which, in patients suffering from immunosuppression due to a disease such as AIDS, can cause serious pathological conditions, which can lead to the patient's death. One such yeast is the pathogenic yeast Candida parapsilosis. For the colonization and penetration of host tissues this yeast uses various virulence factors. One of these virulence factors are secreted aspartic proteases. The pathogenic yeast C. parapsilosis contains three secreted aspartic proteases Sapp1p, Sapp2p and Sapp3p, which are paralogs. The first two aspartic proteases are responsible for increasing the virulence of C. parapsilosis. They help the yeast survive in the body, by degrading important components of the host's immune system. However, Sapp3p doesn't exhibit these properties, except that it helps the yeast to adhere to abiotic surfaces to some extent. This work is focused on clarification the functions and localization of Sapp3p in the yeast C. parapsilosis. To clarify the function, precursor of Sapp3p (pro-Sapp3p) was recombinantly prepared in E. coli cells. The protein thus prepared was further tested for its autocatalytic activation and assisted activation by trypsin and Kex2p protease, under various conditions. Under the conditions tested, it was not..