Posttranslational modifications of proteins in the pathobiology of medically relevant fungi

Posttranslational modifications of proteins drive a wide variety of cellular processes in eukaryotes, regulating cell growth and division as well as adaptive and developmental processes. With regard to the fungal kingdom, most information about posttranslational modifications has been generated through studies of the model yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, where, for example, the roles of protein phosphorylation, glycosylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, and neddylation have been dissected. More recently, information has begun to emerge for the medically important fungal pathogens Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Cryptococcus neoformans, highlighting the relevance of posttranslational modifications for virulence. We review the available literature on protein modifications in fungal pathogens, focusing in particular upon the reversible peptide modifications sumoylation, ubiquitination, and neddylation.