<i>Candida albicans</i> Goliath cells pioneer biofilm formation.

ABSTRACT: Candida albicans is a fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening bloodstream infections. Indwelling medical devices, such as catheters, play a critical role in their progression, as C. albicans can colonize these devices and form biofilms, which can then seed the bloodstream, resulting in recurrent candidemia. Under conditions of zinc restriction, C. albicans forms enlarged Goliath cells. Here, we show that Goliath cells exhibit enhanced adhesion to host tissue under static conditions, particularly to vaginal and oral epithelial cell monolayers. Moreover, Goliath cells are fully capable of forming hyphae and damaging host tissue. Notably, the adhesion of Goliath cells to abiotic surfaces surpasses their adhesion to epithelia or endothelia, suggesting that Goliath

SUBMITTER: Kalinina I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12421812 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature