Major hyphal cell wall protein which plays a role of adhesin and is required for mating, normal hyphal development, cell-to-cell adhesive functions necessary for biofilm integrity, attachment to host, and virulence. Promotes interactions with host and bacterial molecules, thus leading to effective colonization within polymicrobial communities. Plays a crucial role in gastrointestinal colonization, in mucosal symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, in vaginitis, as well as in lethal oroesophageal candidiasis, caused by the combined action of fungal virulence factors and host inflammatory responses when protective immunity is absent. Found in hyphal but not yeast forms. The GPI-anchor is attached to the protein in the endoplasmic reticulum and serves to target the protein to the cell surface. There, the glucosamine-inositol phospholipid moiety is cleaved off and the GPI-modified mannoprotein is covalently attached via its lipidless GPI glycan remnant to the 1,6-beta-glucan of the outer cell wall layer. N- and O-glycosylated. As a major cell surface protein expressed during infection, HWP1 detection can be used for diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. HWP1 epitopes can also be used to develop vaccines for protection against candidiasis. Belongs to the HWP1 family.