Phagocytosis by neutrophils induces an amino acid deprivation response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans

The transcriptional profiles of yeast cells that have been phagocytosed by either human neutrophils or monocytes were compared by using whole genome arrays. After phagocytosis by neutrophils, both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans respond by inducing genes of the methionine and arginine pathways. Neither of these pathways is induced upon phagocytosis by monocytes. Both fungi show a similar induction of these pathways when transferred from amino acid-rich medium to amino acid-deficient medium. These data suggest that the internal phagosome of the neutrophil is an amino acid-deficient environment.