The fungal pathogen Candida albicans autoinduces hyphal morphogenesis by raising extracellular pH.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

pH homeostasis is critical for all organisms; in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, pH adaptation is critical for virulence in distinct host niches. We demonstrate that beyond adaptation, C. albicans actively neutralizes the environment from either acidic or alkaline pHs. Under acidic conditions, this species can raise the pH from 4 to >7 in less than 12 h, resulting in autoinduction of the yeast-hyphal transition, a critical virulence trait. Extracellular alkalinization has been reported to occur in several fungal species, but under the specific conditions that we describe, the phenomenon is more rapid than previously observed. Alkalinization is linked to carbon deprivation, as it occurs in glucose-poor media and requires exogenous amino acids. These conditions are s

SUBMITTER: Vylkova S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3101780 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature