In vivo import of Candida tropicalis hydratase-dehydrogenase-epimerase into peroxisomes of Candida albicans

Abstract

We present a system for studying peroxisomal protein targeting in Candida. We have expressed the Candida tropicalis gene encoding hydratase-dehydrogenase-epimerase (HDE) in Candida albicans. Immunoblot analyses of C. albicans transformants demonstrate the presence of oleic-acid inducible HDE (100 kDa) in peroxisomes of transformed cells, but not of control cells. Peroxisomes isolated from transformed cells show increased beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase specific activity, indicating that HDE is imported into peroxisomes of C. albicans where it is enzymatically active. C. albicans provides a useful model for the study of protein targeting to peroxisomes in vivo.