Atmospheric humidity regulates same-sex mating in Candida albicans through the trehalose and osmotic signaling pathways.

ABSTRACT: Sexual reproduction is prevalent in eukaryotic organisms and plays a critical role in the evolution of new traits and in the generation of genetic diversity. Environmental factors often have a direct impact on the occurrence and frequency of sexual reproduction in fungi. The regulatory effects of atmospheric relative humidity (RH) on sexual reproduction and pathogenesis in plant fungal pathogens and in soil fungi have been extensively investigated. However, the knowledge of how RH regulates the lifecycles of human fungal pathogens is limited. In this study, we report that low atmospheric RH promotes the development of mating projections and same-sex (homothallic) mating in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Low RH causes water loss in C. albicans cells, which results in osmotic st

SUBMITTER: Li C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10631464 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature