Candida albicans
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyComparative Evaluations of the Pathogenesis of Candida auris Phenotypes and Candida albicans Using Clinically Relevant Murine Models of InfectionsThe newly emerged Candida species C. auris has been associated with an exponential rise in invasive disease in health care facilities worldwide with a mortality rate approaching 60%. C. auris exhibits a high level of transmissibility, multidrug resistance, and persistence in hospital...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyMolecular Elucidation of Riboflavin Production and Regulation in Candida albicans, toward a Novel Antifungal Drug TargetCandida albicans is an important fungal pathogen causing common superficial infections as well as invasive diseases with an extremely high morbidity and mortality. Antifungal therapies are limited in efficiency and availability. In this research, we describe the regulation of riboflavin production in C....
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyBacteria Modify Candida albicans Hypha Formation, Microcolony Properties, and Survival within MacrophagesCandida albicans is the predominant fungus colonizing the oral cavity that can have both synergistic and antagonistic interactions with other bacteria. Interkingdom polymicrobial associations modify fungal pathogenicity and are believed to increase microbial resistance to innate immunity. However, it is not known how these interactions alter fungal survival during...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologySho1p Connects Glycolysis to Ras1-cAMP Signaling and Is Required for Microcolony Formation in Candida albicansC. albicans microcolonies form extensive hyphal structures that enhance surface adherence and penetrate underlying tissues to promote fungal infections. This study examined the environmental conditions that promote microcolony formation and how these signals are relayed, in order to disrupt signaling and reduce pathogenesis. We found that a membrane-localized protein...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyDihydrofolate Reductase Is a Valid Target for Antifungal Development in the Human Pathogen Candida albicansThe folate biosynthetic pathway is a promising and understudied source for novel antifungals. Even dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), a well-characterized and historically important drug target, has not been conclusively validated as an antifungal target. Here, we demonstrate that repression of DHFR inhibits growth of Candida albicans, a major human fungal pathogen....
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyHost-Induced Genome Instability Rapidly Generates Phenotypic Variation across Candida albicans Strains and Ploidy StatesCandida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans. The ability to generate genetic variation is essential for adaptation and is a strategy that C. albicans and other fungal pathogens use to change their genome size. Stressful environments, including the host, induce...
Editor's Pick Observation | Therapeutics and PreventionOxadiazole-Containing Macrocyclic Peptides Potentiate Azole Activity against Pathogenic Candida SpeciesFungal infections, such as those caused by pathogenic Candida species, pose a serious threat to human health. Treating these infections relies heavily on the use of azole antifungals; however, resistance to these drugs develops readily, demanding novel therapeutic strategies. This study characterized the antifungal activity of a series of molecules that possess unique chemical attributes and the ability to traverse cellular...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMetabolic Reprogramming in the Opportunistic Yeast Candida albicans in Response to HypoxiaA critical aspect of cell fitness is the ability to sense and adapt to variations in oxygen levels in their local environment. Candida albicans is an opportunistic yeast that is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen. While hypoxia is the predominant condition that C. albicans encounters in most...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNucleotide Excision Repair Protein Rad23 Regulates Cell Virulence Independent of Rad4 in Candida albicansCandida albicans remains a significant threat to the lives of immunocompromised people. An understanding of the virulence and infection ability of C. albicans cells in the mammalian host may help with clinical treatment and drug discovery. The DNA damage response pathway is closely related to...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyEFG1 Mutations, Phenotypic Switching, and Colonization by Clinical a/α Strains of Candida albicansClose to half of a collection of 27 clinical a/α isolates of Candida albicans underwent white-to-opaque switching. Complementation experiments revealed that while approximately half of the a/α switchers were due to EFG1 mutations, the remaining half were due to mutations in other genes. In addition, the results of competition...