In:
mBio, American Society for Microbiology, Vol. 7, No. 6 ( 2016-12-30)
Abstract:
Epigenetic transitions are an important mechanism by which microbes adapt to external stimuli. For Candida albicans , such transitions are crucial for adaptation to complex, fluctuating environments, and therefore contribute to its success as a human pathogen. The white-opaque switch modulates multiple C. albicans attributes, from sexual competency to niche specificity. Here, we demonstrate that metabolic circuits are extensively rewired between white and opaque states, so that the two cell types exhibit optimal fitness under different nutritional conditions and at different temperatures. We thereby establish that epigenetic events can profoundly alter the metabolism of fungal cells. We also demonstrate that epigenetic switching regulates filamentation and biofilm formation, two phenotypes closely associated with pathogenesis. These experiments reveal that white cells, considered the most clinically relevant form of C. albicans , are a “general-purpose” state suited to many environments, whereas opaque cells appear to represent a more metabolically specialized form of the species.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2161-2129
,
2150-7511
DOI:
10.1128/mBio.01269-16
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Society for Microbiology
Publication Date:
2016
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2557172-2