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An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract
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An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract

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Amino acids mediate colony and cell differentiation in the fungal pathogen Candida parapsilosis

Seong-Kyoun Kim1, Kamal El Bissati1, Choukri Ben Mamoun1

  • 1Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030-3301, USA.

Microbiology (Reading, England)
|September 29, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Amino acids are key triggers for morphogenetic changes in Candida parapsilosis, a significant cause of neonatal infections. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms of this opportunistic fungus.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Medical Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Candida parapsilosis causes severe non-albicans systemic candidiasis, particularly in neonates, with high mortality.
  • The molecular basis of C. parapsilosis virulence and its morphogenetic regulation are largely unknown.
  • Unlike C. albicans, C. parapsilosis exhibits limited morphogenetic plasticity, primarily existing as yeast or pseudohyphae.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of amino acids as environmental signals regulating morphogenesis in Candida parapsilosis.
  • To characterize the impact of specific amino acids on cell and colony morphology, pseudohyphal differentiation, and invasive growth.
  • To explore the relationship between amino acid transport and amino-acid-induced morphogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing five C. parapsilosis isolates in ammonium-rich minimal media with and without various amino acids.
  • Assessing changes in cellular and colony morphology and pseudohyphal formation.
  • Conducting transport studies to evaluate the uptake of different amino acids under various conditions.

Main Results:

  • Specific amino acids induced significant alterations in C. parapsilosis cell and colony morphology, promoting pseudohyphal differentiation.
  • Amino acid inducers activated the transport of some, but not all, unrelated amino acids.
  • Citrulline strongly induced pseudohyphal morphogenesis even when ammonium was present, despite not being transported under these conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Amino acids function as critical morphogens in Candida parapsilosis.
  • Amino-acid-mediated morphogenesis in C. parapsilosis can occur independently of direct amino acid transport across the plasma membrane.
  • Understanding these pathways is crucial for developing targeted therapies against C. parapsilosis infections.

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