Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 12, 2025

An Ex vivo Assay to Study Candida albicans Hyphal Morphogenesis in the Gastrointestinal Tract
07:42

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

Published on: July 1, 2020

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On and Off: Epigenetic Regulation of C. albicans Morphological Switches

Elise Iracane1, Samuel Vega-Estévez1, Alessia Buscaino1

  • 1Kent Fungal Group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK.

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Candida albicans, a common fungus, can cause serious infections in vulnerable people. This review examines how epigenetic changes, like chromatin modification, control its dangerous switch to hyphae and biofilm formation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus and opportunistic pathogen.
  • It colonizes most humans harmlessly but can cause life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Morphological transition (yeast to hyphae) and biofilm formation are critical for C. albicans pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of epigenetic regulation in Candida albicans.
  • To explore the role of chromatin modification and non-coding RNAs in morphological transitions.
  • To highlight the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in C. albicans pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on Candida albicans epigenetics.
  • Analysis of research on chromatin structure modifications.
  • Investigation of non-coding RNA involvement in morphological changes.

Main Results:

  • Transcriptional regulation of yeast-to-hyphae switch is well-understood.
  • Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly chromatin-mediated regulation, are emerging as crucial for morphological transitions.
  • Non-coding RNAs also play a role in regulating these changes.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic regulation is a key factor in Candida albicans pathogenesis.
  • Further research into chromatin modification and non-coding RNAs is needed to understand and combat C. albicans infections.
Keywords:
Candida albicansbiofilmchromatinepigenetichyphaeyeast

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