Fig 3. Drs2 is critical for virulence in a mouse model of systemic candidiasis.
A) Reintroduction of DRS2 complements the invasive growth defect of the drs2 mutant. The indicated strains WT (PY4861), drs2/drs2 (drs2, PY3375), and drs2/drs2 + pDRS2DRS2 (drs2 + DRS2, PY5042), were grown as in Fig 1A and 1B) The drs2 mutant has attenuated virulence in a mouse model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Balb/C mice (n = 10) were injected with an inoculum (5 x 105 cells) of the indicated strains and the survival was assessed. C) Hyphal specific gene are induced in drs2 cells upon serum exposure. mRNA and cDNA were prepared from the indicated strains grown 120 min in the presence of serum. HGC1, ECE1, HWP1, ALS3 and SAP6 transcripts were determined by qRT-PCR using primer pairs described in [89], and UME6 transcripts were determined using UME6.pTm/UME6.mTm (89 bp) primer pair. Bars indicate the mean ± SD (n = 3 determinations). Similar results were observed in an additional biological replicate. NAD-linked Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (TDH3) transcript levels were used for normalization.