Posttranslational modifications of proteins in the pathobiology of medically relevant fungi

Abstract

Posttranslational modifications of proteins drive a wide variety of cellular processes in eukaryotes, regulating cell growth and division as well as adaptive and developmental processes. With regard to the fungal kingdom, most information about post-translational modifications has been generated through studies of the model yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccha-romyces pombe, where, for example, the roles of protein phosphorylation, glycosylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, sumoyla-tion, and neddylation have been dissected. More recently, information has begun to emerge for the medically important fungal pathogens Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Cryptococcus neoformans, highlighting the relevance of posttransla-tional modifications for virulence. We review the available literature on protein modifications in fungal pathogens, focusing in particular upon the reversible peptide modifications sumoylation, ubiquitination, and neddylation. © 2012, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.