Aleksandra Żelazna

Ms. Aleksandra Żelazna

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
14 July 2020 in Microorganisms
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
DSDorota Satala
Dorota Satala
JKJustyna Karkowska-Kuleta
Justyna Karkowska-Kuleta
AŻAleksandra Żelazna
Aleksandra Żelazna
MRMaria Rapala-Kozik
Maria Rapala-Kozik
AKAndrzej Kozik
Andrzej Kozik
The cell wall in Candida albicans is not only a tight protective envelope but also a point of contact with the human host that provides a dynamic response to the constantly changing environment in infection niches. Particularly important roles are attributed to proteins exposed at the fungal cell surface. These include proteins that are stably and covalently bound to the cell wall or cell membrane and those that are more loosely attached. Interestingly in this regard, numerous loosely attached proteins belong to the class of “moonlighting proteins” that are originally intracellular and that perform essentially different functions in addition to their primary housekeeping roles. These proteins also demonstrate unpredicted interactions with non-canonical partners at an a priori unexpected extracellular location, achieved via non-classical secretion routes. Acting both individually and collectively, the moonlighting proteins contribute to candidal virulence and pathogenicity through their involvement in mechanisms critical for successful host colonization and infection, such as the adhesion to host cells, interactions with plasma homeostatic proteolytic cascades, responses to stress conditions and molecular mimicry. The documented knowledge of the roles of these proteins in C. albicans pathogenicity has utility for assisting the design of new therapeutic, diagnostic and preventive strategies against candidiasis.