A Candida albicans homolog of a human cyclophilin gene encodes a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase

A Candida albicans cDNA and its genomic counterpart were isolated from lambda phage libraries using a human T-cell cyclophilin (Cyp) cDNA as a hybridization probe. The clones contain a 486-bp open reading frame predicting a 162-amino acid, approx. 18 kDa protein which is similar in size to, and which shares 68 and 81% homology with, human T-cell Cyp and cytosolic Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cyp, respectively. Northern blots show the presence of a single mRNA species of about 800 bp. However, genomic Southern blots suggest the presence of at least one other Cyp-related gene in C. albicans. The cDNA was engineered for expression in Escherichia coli, and the resulting recombinant protein, like mammalian Cyps, exhibited a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) activity which was sensitive to inhibition by cyclosporin A in vitro. These results indicate that the gene which we have cloned encodes a C. albicans Cyp. We designate this gene CYP1 (cyclophilin). Interestingly, the predicted C. albicans protein contains only two cysteine residues which do not align with any of the four cysteines conserved among mammalian Cyps. This suggests that the PPIase catalytic mechanism may not involve an enzyme-bound hemithioorthoamide, as previously reported for porcine Cyp.