Regulation of hyphal formation and mycelial growth by small G proteins in a dermatophyte.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16656
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Musashino University
• Principal Investigator: ISHII Masaki 武蔵野大学, 薬学部, 助教 (10786966)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 皮膚糸状菌 / Rac様蛋白異質 / Rac / CDC42

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Dermatophytosis, commonly known as athlete's foot, is caused by a fungus called dermatophytes and is so common 10％ of the population is suffered. Hypha, the filamentous cell form of dermatophytes, is considered to be necessary for dermatophytes to cause the disease, but its molecular mechanism is still largely　unknown. In this study, we found TrRac and its homologue TrCDC42 as Rac-like proteins involved in mycelial growth and analyzed their functions using mutant strains and proteins produced by E. coli. We also established a system to quantitatively evaluate their activity in vitro for the discovery of inhibitors that could be candidates for antifungal drugs.

Free Research Field

医真菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

水虫の原因となる皮膚糸状菌を含む真菌（カビ）は、大腸菌や黄色ブドウ球菌のような細菌と異なり、真核細胞生物であり、そのため、細胞を構成する分子群はヒト細胞と良く似ています。ヒト細胞に似た特徴を持つ真菌に対する抗真菌薬の開発は抗菌薬（抗細菌薬）の開発に比べて困難であり、新たな作用標的となりうる分子が求められています。本研究は、新たな抗真菌薬作用標的としてRac様タンパク質を中心とした細胞内シグナル伝達系を提案するとともに、その阻害剤（抗真菌薬候補）を探索するための基盤の構築を行いました、本研究成果は、将来の新規抗真菌薬開発に貢献しうると期待されます。