A glycosylated Phr1 protein is induced by calcium stress and its expression is positively controlled by the calcium/calcineurin signaling transcription factor Crz1 in Candida albicans

As one of the most important human fungal pathogens, Candida albicans senses and adapts to host niches with different pH values through the pH-responsive Rim101 pathway. Its transcription factor Rim101 activates the expression of alkaline pH-induced genes including PHR1 that encodes a glycosylphosphatidylinsitol-anchored β(1,3)-glucanosyltransferase critical for hyphal wall formation. The calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway is mediated by the transcription factor Crz1 in yeasts and other lower eukaryotes. Here we report that deletion of PHR1 leads to calcium sensitivity of C. albicans cells. In addition, expression of Phr1 is induced by calcium stress and under the control of Crz1 in C. albicans. EMSA assay demonstrates that Crz1 binds to one CDRE element in the PHR1 promoter. Alkaline treatment induces two species of glycosylated Phr1 proteins with different degrees of glycosylation, which is independent of Crz1. In contrast, only one species of Phr1 protein with a low degree of glycosylation is induced by calcium stress in a Crz1-dependent fashion. Therefore, we have provided an evidence that regulation of cell wall remodeling is integrated through differential degrees of Phr1 glycosylation by both the pH-regulated Rim101 pathway and the calcium/calcineurin signaling pathway in C. albicans. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12964-023-01224-y.