Epitope shaving and fungal immune evasion – cell wall proteomes

The cell wall provides a major physical interface between fungal pathogens and their mammalian host. This extracellular armour is critical for fungal cell homeostasis and survival. Yet essential cell wall moieties, such as β-1,3-glucan, are recognised as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that activate immune-mediated clearance mechanisms. We have reported that the opportunistic human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, masks β-1,3-glucan following exposure to lactate, hypoxia or iron depletion. However, the precise mechanism(s) by which C. albicans masks β-1,3-glucan have remained obscure. Here, we performed proteomic analysis of cell walls from C. albicans cells grown in hypoxia or lactate compared to glucose-grown controls to identify mechanisms driving β-1,3-glucan masking.