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Aggregate Filamentous Growth Responses in Yeast
Jacky Chow1, Heather M Dionne1, Aditi Prabhakar1
1Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Msphere
|March 8, 2019
Summary
Fungal cells can grow filamentously in groups, forming aggregates for surface invasion. This collective behavior, seen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans, involves microbial cooperation and is regulated by known filamentous growth pathways.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Mycology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Filamentous growth is a key fungal morphogenetic response for nutrient acquisition and colonization.
- This growth is essential for virulence in certain fungal pathogens, but its regulation is not fully understood.
- Previous research focused on individual cell filamentous growth, with less attention to collective behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate aggregate invasive growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans.
- To identify the regulatory pathways and mechanisms controlling collective filamentous growth.
- To explore the implications of aggregate growth in fungal pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Examined filamentous growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans.
- Investigated aggregate invasive growth phenotypes.
- Utilized directed selection experiments to uncover roles of specific signaling pathways (fMAPK, RAS).
Main Results:
- Identified aggregate invasive growth, where cells grow filamentously in groups.
- Demonstrated that aggregate growth is regulated by pathways controlling normal filamentous growth.
- Found that microbial cooperation, involving cell adhesion (Flo11p), secreted enzymes (invertase), and quorum sensing molecules, promotes aggregation.
Conclusions:
- Aggregate invasive growth is an extension of known filamentous growth responses in fungi.
- Collective cellular behavior in fungi involves cooperation and is regulated by conserved signaling pathways.
- Understanding aggregate growth mechanisms may offer insights into fungal pathogenesis and virulence.
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