Secreted proteins of Candida albicans.

The predicted secretome of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans contains more than 200 ORFs of diverse and often unknown function. Majority of the secreted proteins that have been experimentally evaluated to date are hydrolytic enzymes (proteinases, phospholipases and lipases). Acting on the interface between the pathogen and the host, the secreted hydrolases may enable invasion of host tissues, help the pathogen to avoid host defense mechanisms, or allow the microorganism to utilize host cell macromolecules as a source of nutrients. Aspartic proteinases constitute the best-characterized family of the C. albicans secreted proteins. Number of studies addressed also secreted phospholipases. Lipases and N-acetylhexosaminidase have received less attention thus far. Many ORFs that are predicted to encode secreted proteins await characterization.