Crosstalk between iron and flavins in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

ABSTRACT: As part of the innate immune response, the host withholds metal micronutrients such as iron (Fe) from invading pathogens. To survive such Fe-limitation, the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans has evolved elaborate responses to Fe-starvation stress. One such adaptation involves the secretion of flavins, yellow isoalloxazine compounds that serve important redox roles in biology. Why the organism secretes flavins during Fe-starvation is not known. Moreover, the exact flavin secreted by the fungus or the effects of Fe-starvation on intracellular flavin pools have not been documented. Major cellular flavins include riboflavin (vitamin B2) and the downstream metabolites and enzyme cofactors FAD and FMN. Of these, our HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses identify riboflavin as the sole

SUBMITTER: David MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12275197 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature