Relationship between cell morphology and intracellular potassium concentration in Candida albicans

Previously we reported that valinomycin inhibited hyphal growth and induced growth as a chain of yeast cells under hyphal growth induction conditions in Candida albicans. To elucidate the hyphal growth inhibition by valinomycin, we examined the effect of various chemicals on the morphology and found that miconazole inhibited hyphal growth as well as valinomycin: both compounds promoted the leakage of potassium from cells. Analysis of intracellular potassium suggested that hyphal cells contain potassium at high concentrations in comparison with yeast cells. Hyphal growth inhibition by valinomycin was obstructed by the addition of serum. Potassium measurement showed that the addition of serum causes an increase in intracellular potassium, suggesting that the obstruction by serum might be due to an increase in intracellular potassium. The above-mentioned results strongly suggest that the addition of valinomycin and miconazole decreased interacellular potassium and this decrease inhibited hyphal transition.