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Clarifying and Imaging Candida albicans Biofilms
Published on: March 6, 2020
Thymol-induced alterations in Candida albicans imaged by atomic force microscopy
Pier Carlo Braga1, Davide Ricci
1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. piercarlo.braga@unimi.it
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|June 11, 2011
Summary
Thymol, found in thyme oil, damages Candida albicans cell envelopes, causing deformities and reducing fungal infections. This study used atomic force microscopy to visualize thymol's antifungal mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Microbiology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Thymol, a natural compound from thyme essential oil, exhibits antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
- Candida albicans is a common fungal pathogen responsible for various infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of thymol on the cell envelope of Candida albicans.
- To elucidate the mechanism of thymol's antifungal activity using atomic force microscopy.
Main Methods:
- Candida albicans cultures were incubated with varying concentrations of thymol (1, 1/2, 1/4 MIC) or a vehicle control.
- Cell envelopes were analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) at multiple time points (0, 1, 2, and 4 hours).
- Morphostructural changes in 100 cells per field across five random fields were quantified.
Main Results:
- AFM revealed significant morphostructural deformities in C. albicans cell envelopes upon thymol treatment.
- Damage increased with higher thymol concentrations and longer incubation times.
- Observed changes included flattened cells, surface folds, holes, collapsed cells, and ghost cells.
Conclusions:
- Thymol disrupts the cell membrane structure of C. albicans by altering lipid packing and membrane fluidity.
- These alterations lead to reduced fungal adhesion, virulence, and infectiousness.
- AFM provides valuable insights into the physical mechanisms of thymol's antifungal action.
