Candida albicans
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceDecreased Ecological Resistance of the Gut Microbiota in Response to Clindamycin Challenge in Mice Colonized with the Fungus Candida albicansCandida albicans is the most common fungal member of the human gut microbiota, yet its ability to interact with and affect the bacterial gut microbiota is largely uncharacterized. Previous reports showed limited changes in microbiota composition as defined by bacterial species abundance as a consequence of...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyDeORFanizing Candida albicans Genes using CoexpressionCandida albicans is a common and deadly fungal pathogen of humans, yet the genome of this organism contains many genes of unknown function. By determining gene function, we can help identify essential genes, new virulence factors, or new regulators of drug resistance, and thereby give new targets for antifungal development.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIn Situ Imaging of Candida albicans Hyphal Growth via Atomic Force MicroscopyCandida albicans is one of the most common pathogens of humans. One important virulence factor of C. albicans is its ability to form elongated hyphae that can invade host tissues and cause disseminated infections. Here, we show the effect of different physiologically relevant temperatures and common...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyHigh-Resolution Genome-Wide Occupancy in Candida spp. Using ChEC-seqSystemic fungal infections caused by Candida albicans and the “superbug” Candida auris are becoming a serious public health threat. The ability of these yeasts to cause disease is linked to their faculty to modulate the expression of genes that mediate their escape from the immune surveillance and...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCandida albicans Double Mutants Lacking both EFG1 and WOR1 Can Still Switch to OpaqueThe switch from white to opaque in Candida albicans was discovered 33 years ago, but it is still unclear how it is regulated. A regulatory paradigm has emerged in which two transacting factors, Efg1 and Wor1, play central roles, Efg1 as a repressor of WOR1, which encodes an activator of the transition to the opaque phenotype. However, we show here that if...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyUse of CRISPR-Cas9 To Target Homologous Recombination Limits Transformation-Induced Genomic Changes in Candida albicansGenome editing is essential to nearly all research studies aimed at gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying various biological processes, including those in the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. The adaptation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system greatly facilitates genome engineering in many organisms. However, our understanding of the effects of CRISPR-...
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyClinical Candida albicans Vaginal Isolates and a Laboratory Strain Show Divergent Behaviors during Macrophage InteractionsVulvovaginal candidiasis is one of the most common fungal infections in humans with Candida albicans as the major causative agent. This study is the first to compare clinical vaginal isolates of defined patient groups in their interaction with macrophages, highlighting the vastly different outcomes in comparison to a laboratory strain using commonly applied virulence-...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyGeneration of Viable Candida albicans Mutants Lacking the “Essential” Protein Kinase Snf1 by Inducible Gene DeletionEssential genes are those that are indispensable for the viability and growth of an organism. Previous studies indicated that the protein kinase Snf1, a central regulator of metabolic adaptation, is essential in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, because no homozygous snf1 deletion mutants of ...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNatural Variation in Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans Modulates Neutrophil ResponsesNeutrophils are the key immune cell type for host defenses against infections with Candida albicans. C. albicans strains isolated from patients display large phenotypic diversity, but how this diversity impacts host-pathogen interactions with neutrophils is incompletely defined. Here, we show that...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyIdentification of Genomewide Alternative Splicing Events in Sequential, Isogenic Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans Reveals a Novel Mechanism of Drug Resistance and Tolerance to Cellular StressesThe emergence of resistance in Candida albicans, an opportunistic pathogen, against the commonly used antifungals is becoming a major obstacle in its treatment. The necessity to identify new drug targets demands fundamental insights into the mechanisms used by this organism to develop drug resistance. C....