A fungal protein organizes both glycogen and cell wall glucans

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Loza, Liza; Doering, Tamara L.
• 署名单位: Washington University (WUSTL)
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-8620
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319707121
• 发表日期: 2024-05-21
• 关键词: cryptococcus-neoformans; saccharomyces-cerevisiae; muscle glycogen; gene encodes; kre genes; yeast; virulence; synthase; localization; glycoprotein

摘要

Glycogen is a glucose storage molecule composed of branched alpha-1,4-glucan chains, best known as an energy reserve that can be broken down to fuel central metabolism. Because fungal cells have a specialized need for glucose in building cell wall glucans, we investigated whether glycogen is used for this process. For these studies, we focused on the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans , which causes similar to 150,000 deaths per year worldwide. We identified two proteins that influence formation of both glycogen and the cell wall: glycogenin (Glg1), which initiates glycogen synthesis, and a protein that we call Glucan organizing enzyme 1 (Goe1). We found that cells missing Glg1 lack alpha-1,4-glucan in their walls, indicating that this material is derived from glycogen. Without Goe1, glycogen rosettes are mislocalized and beta-1,3 -glucan in the cell wall is reduced. Altogether, our results provide mechanisms for a close association between glycogen and cell wall.