Host carbon sources modulate cell wall architecture, drug resistance and virulence in a fungal pathogen
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 15 May 2012
- journal article
- Published by Hindawi Limited in Cellular Microbiology
- Vol. 14 (9), 1319-1335
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-5822.2012.01813.x
Abstract
The survival of all microbes depends upon their ability to respond to environmental challenges. To establish infection, pathogens such as Candida albicans must mount effective stress responses to counter host defences while adapting to dynamic changes in nutrient status within host niches. Studies of C. albicans stress adaptation have generally been performed on glucose-grown cells, leaving the effects of alternative carbon sources upon stress resistance largely unexplored. We have shown that growth on alternative carbon sources, such as lactate, strongly influence the resistance of C. albicans to antifungal drugs, osmotic and cell wall stresses. Similar trends were observed in clinical isolates and other pathogenic Candida species. The increased stress resistance of C. albicans was not dependent on key stress (Hog1) and cell integrity (Mkc1) signalling pathways. Instead, increased stress resistance was promoted by major changes in the architecture and biophysical properties of the cell wall. Glucose- and lactate-grown cells displayed significant differences in cell wall mass, ultrastructure, elasticity and adhesion. Changes in carbon source also altered the virulence of C. albicans in models of systemic candidiasis and vaginitis, confirming the importance of alternative carbon sources within host niches during C. albicans infections.Keywords
This publication has 79 references indexed in Scilit:
- C. albicans increases cell wall mannoprotein, but not mannan, in response to blood, serum and cultivation at physiological temperatureGlycobiology, 2011
- Biophysical properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and their relationship with HOG pathway activationEuropean Biophysics Journal, 2010
- Functional specialization and differential regulation of short‐chain carboxylic acid transporters in the pathogen Candida albicansMolecular Microbiology, 2010
- Glucose Promotes Stress Resistance in the Fungal PathogenCandida albicansMolecular Biology of the Cell, 2009
- Functional analysis of Candida albicans GPI-anchored proteins: Roles in cell wall integrity and caspofungin sensitivityFungal Genetics and Biology, 2008
- MNL1Regulates Weak Acid–induced Stress Responses of the Fungal PathogenCandida albicansMolecular Biology of the Cell, 2008
- A Single MAPKKK Regulates the Hog1 MAPK Pathway in the Pathogenic FungusCandida albicansMolecular Biology of the Cell, 2007
- The PKC, HOG and Ca2+ signalling pathways co‐ordinately regulate chitin synthesis in Candida albicansMolecular Microbiology, 2007
- Niche-specific regulation of central metabolic pathways in a fungal pathogenCellular Microbiology, 2006
- Rewiring of the Yeast Transcriptional Network Through the Evolution of Motif UsageScience, 2005