Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026
09:24
Use of In Vivo Imaging to Screen for Morphogenesis Phenotypes in Candida albicans Mutant Strains During Active Infection in a Mammalian Host
Published on: October 12, 2022
Evolutionary dynamics of Candida albicans during in vitro evolution
Mian Huang1, Mark McClellan, Judith Berman
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
Eukaryotic Cell
|September 6, 2011
Summary
This study tracked the evolution of Candida albicans in the presence of fluconazole. Drug resistance mutations emerged frequently and independently, with minimal fitness loss when the drug was absent.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Antifungal Resistance
Background:
- Mechanisms of antifungal resistance in Candida albicans are known, but evolutionary paths to resistance are not.
- Understanding resistance evolution is crucial for effective antifungal therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of Candida albicans during the emergence of fluconazole resistance.
- To identify adaptive mutations and their fitness consequences in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the visualizing evolution in real-time (VERT) method for systematic isolation of adaptive mutants.
- Evolved Candida albicans populations in vitro, with and without fluconazole exposure.
Main Results:
- An increased frequency of adaptive events was observed in the presence of fluconazole.
- Mutations conferring increased drug resistance arose frequently and independently in different lineages.
- Most drug-resistant mutants showed no significant fitness cost in the absence of fluconazole.
Conclusions:
- Rapid antifungal resistance can emerge from pre-existing mutations in Candida albicans populations.
- Fluconazole exposure accelerates the emergence of drug resistance through frequent, independent adaptive mutations.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Evolution of New Traits in Microbes
Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
01:20Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
01:26Evolutionary Processes in Microbes
Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...
01:22Bioreactor Controls-III
Strain improvement is a foundational strategy in industrial microbiology aimed at maximizing microbial productivity, particularly because natural isolates typically yield commercially valuable products in very low concentrations. Although optimizing the culture medium and environmental conditions can improve yields, these adjustments are inherently limited by the organism’s genetic potential. As a result, the focus shifts toward genetic modifications to enhance biosynthetic capacity. The...
01:08Evolution of Microbial Genome
Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
00:36Viral Mutations
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...