Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 3, 2026
08:48
Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis
Published on: March 19, 2019
7.0K
Reprogramming in Candida albicans Gene Expression Network under Butanol Stress Abrogates Hyphal Development
Rajesh Anand1, Mohammad Kashif1, Awadhesh Pandit2
1Infectious Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 23, 2023
Summary
Butanol inhibits hyphae formation in Candida albicans, a key virulence factor, by altering gene expression related to stress and virulence. This finding offers potential new antifungal targets against invasive fungal infections.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Candida albicans is a major cause of invasive fungal infections.
- Hyphae formation is a critical virulence factor for C. albicans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of butanol on Candida albicans hyphae formation and gene expression.
- To identify potential antifungal targets by analyzing butanol-induced transcriptomic changes.
Main Methods:
- Candida albicans was cultured in human serum with butanol.
- Transcriptome analysis was performed using mRNA sequencing.
- Electron microscopy was used to observe hyphae formation.
Main Results:
- Butanol significantly inhibited hyphae formation without affecting growth rate.
- Butanol induced changes in the expression of numerous genes, including downregulation of hypha-specific transcription factors and repression of adhesion genes.
- Gene ontology analysis revealed enrichment of processes related to stress response, non-coding RNA, and ribosome biosynthesis.
Conclusions:
- Butanol stress prevents Candida albicans hyphae extension, leading to budding growth.
- Perturbed gene expression under butanol stress highlights potential antifungal targets.
- This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying C. albicans virulence and stress response.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Yeast Signaling
Yeasts are single-celled organisms, but unlike bacteria, they are eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus). Cell signaling in yeast is similar to signaling in other eukaryotic cells. A ligand, such as a protein or a small molecule released from a yeast cell, attaches to a receptor on the cell surface. The binding stimulates second-messenger kinases to activate or inactivate transcription factors that further regulate gene expression. Many of the yeast intracellular signaling cascades have similar...
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...