Characteristics of proline transport in normal and starved cells of Candida albicans

Abstract

1. 1. There was no apparent correlation between the rate of respiration and rate of accumulation of proline in Candida albicans cells. 2. 2. In contrast to normal cells, the respiration in the starved cells became completely cyanide insensitive. The starvation of cells in the presence of cycloheximide prevented the cells from becoming cyanide insensitive. The addition of Fe(III), however, accelerated the process. 3. 3. Oxidizable substrates e.g. NADH, acetate and glucose, when added to cyanide-insensitive starved cells, exhibited 40-280% stimulation in respiration rate. However, this enhancement in oxidation by various substrates was not coupled to a simultaneous increase in the proline uptake or in intracellular ATP levels. 4. 4. There was 6-fold stimulation in proline uptake when cyanide-insensitive cells were preincubated with 50 mM glucose. The preincubation of starved cells resulted in a partial restoration of cyanide sensitivity and increased intracellular ATP levels. The preincubation of starved cells with other oxidizable substrates resulted in a partial restoration of cyanide sensitivity but had no stimulatory effect on intracellular ATP levels and proline accumulation. 5. 5. Both the enhanced uptake and ATP levels in glucose preincubated cells were found to be completely abolished by iodoacetate. 6. 6. It is proposed that the increased proline uptake in cells preincubated with glucose was mainly due to the production of glycolytic energy.