Interspecific hybridisation between Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis

Abstract Protoplasts from auxotrophic mutants of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis were produced by snail enzyme treatment and their fusion was induced with polyethylene glycol (PEG). During selective regeneration, nutritionally complemented interspecific hybrids were obtained. Their cells contained one nucleus, and the DNA content per cell was higher than in the parents. The isoenzymic and sugar assimilation patterns of the mutants, and those of the hybrids and the products after their haploidisation, were also analysed. The results indicated that the hybrids were partial alloploids containing the total chromosomal set of either of the parental species and one or a few chromosomes of the other.     

Purification and germination of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis chlamydospores cultured in liquid media

Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis are the only Candida sp. that have been observed to produce chlamydospores. The function of these large, thick-walled cells is currently unknown. In this report, we describe the production and purification of chlamydospores from these species in defined liquid media. Staining with the fluorescent dye FUN-1 indicated that chlamydospores are metabolically active cells, but that metabolic activity is undetectable in chlamydospores that are >30 days old. However, 5–15-day-old chlamydospores could be induced to produce daughter chlamydospores, blastospores, pseudohyphae and true hyphae depending on the incubation conditions used. Chlamydospores that were preinduced to germinate were also observed to escape from murine macrophages following phagocytosis, suggesting that these structures may be viable in vivo . Mycelium-attached and purified chlamydospores rapidly lost their viability in water and when subjected to dry stress, suggesting that they are unlikely to act as long-term storage structures. Instead, our data suggest that chlamydospores represent an alternative specialized form of growth by C. albicans and C. dubliniensis .     

Multilocus sequence typing confirms synonymy but highlights differences between Candida albicans and Candida stellatoidea

We used multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) to investigate 35 yeast isolates representing the two genome-sequenced strains plus the type strain of Candida albicans, four isolates originally identified as Candida stellatoidea type I and 28 representing type strains of other species now regarded as synonymous with C. albicans. DNA from all 32 C. albicans synonyms readily formed PCR products with the C. albicans MLST primer sets. Their sequences placed all of them within the existing C. albicans clade structure, represented by 1516 isolates. One isolate, originally received as Mycotorula sinensis, was resistant to flucytosine, but no other unusual susceptibilities were found to polyene, azole or echinocandin antifungal agents. The four isolates of C. stellatoidea type I coclustered with two other sucrose-negative isolates, originally identified as examples of Candida africana, in a group of strains highly distinct from the majority of C. albicans. Our results not only confirm the synonymity of all the isolates with C. albicans but also confirm an obvious genotypic difference in the case of C. stellatoidea type I.     

都柏林念珠菌的鉴定及与白念珠菌3种表型鉴别方法的研究

目的 从临床分离的念珠菌中进一步鉴定都柏林念珠菌,并评价3种表型鉴别白念珠菌和都柏林念珠菌的方法.方法 对17株临床分离并初步鉴定的白念珠菌和1株ATCC白念珠菌标准株,采用PHR1同源序列PCR法检测,鉴定出其中的都柏林念珠菌;分别采用45℃生长试验、YEPD(1%酵母浸膏,2%蛋白胨,2%葡萄糖)液基39℃芽管生成试验、Staib琼脂(鸟食琼脂)厚壁孢子形成试验对两种菌的表型特点进行比较.结果 17株临床分离的白念珠菌中有3株鉴定为都柏林念珠菌;45℃时,两种菌在改良沙堡弱琼脂上均无明显生长,YEPD液基中仅有1株白念珠菌生长良好;YEPD液基39℃培养2种菌均无芽管生成;Staib琼脂培养72h,3株都柏林念珠菌中有2株可形成厚壁孢子,而白念珠菌则无,与PHR1同源序列检测结果基本一致.结论 PHR1同源序列检测是鉴别都柏林念珠菌与白念珠菌的可靠方法,Staib琼脂厚壁孢子形成试验有助于鉴别两菌,45℃生长试验和YEPD液基39℃芽管生成试验则不能有效鉴别两菌.     

A purine permease in Candida glabrata

Abstract Competition experiments revealed that adenine and guanine were transported by a purine permease in both Candida glabrata 4 and a C. glabrata 4 cytosine permease negative mutant. The C. glabrata 4 cytosine permease negative mutant was isolated using 5-fluorocytosine selection. This mutant no longer transported cytosine, but transported adenine and guanine. A transport system for hypoxanthine was not detected. Hence, in addition to the cytosine permease, a purine permease exists in C. glabrata . This differs from the purine cytosine permeases in Saccharomyces cereuisiae and Candida albicans which transport adenine, cytosine, guanine and hypoxanthine.     

A micromethod for the quantitative determination of the viability of Candida albicans hyphae

A micromethod for the quantitative determination of the viability of Candida albicans hypae was devised which takes advantage of the dimorphic nature of C. albicans which grows exclusively in the yeast form when incubated aerobically on Sabouraud dextrose agar at 30°C. When tested by thisd method, all viable, C. albicans hyphae were recognized as microcolonies consisting of one hypha surrounded by several yeast form progeny. In contrast to this, no yeast form progeny emerged from nonviable hypae. By counting appropriate total numbers (200–400) of microcolony-forming hypae and infertile hyphae, it was possible to determine the ratio of viable to nonviable cells in a given hyphal suspension. This micromethod may be used for quantitative assessment of the candidacidal effects of various antimycotic agents or phagocytes C. albicans hyphae whose viability could not have been determined by the conventional plating technique because of the species' high propensity to clump.     

Bioconversion of Ferulic Acid to 4-Vinylguaiacol and 4-Ethylguaiacol and of 4-Vinylguaiacol to 4-Ethylguaiacol by Halotolerant Yeasts Belonging to the Genus Candida

In order to examine the genesis of the characteristic flavors of soy sauce and miso, seven novel halotolerant yeast strains of two types, which showed convertibility of ferulic acid (FA) to 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG) and to 4-ethylguaiacol (4-EG), were isolated from miso-koji and miso pastes. Two of these strains were identified as Candida guilliermondii (anamorph of Pichia guilliermondii), and Candida fermentati (anamorph of Pichia caribbica), based on sequence analyses of a partial 26S ribosomal RNA gene and the region of internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, and the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene. Moreover, we also found three Candida etchellsii strains which showed convertibility of FA to 4-VG, but not to 4-EG, and two atypical strains of Candida versatilis which showed no convertibility of FA to 4-VG, but did show convertibility of 4-VG to 4-EG from soy sauce mashes. The bioconversion pathway from FA to 4-EG via 4-VG in halotolerant yeasts and bacteria is discussed.     

Effects of dietary sugars and saliva and serum on Candida bioflim formation on acrylic surfaces

The effect of two dietary sugars, glucose and galactose, on biofilm formation of the oral fungal pathogen Candida on denture acrylic strips coated with saliva and serum pellicles was examined in vitro using Candida albicans (3 isolates), C. glabrata (2 isolates) and C. tropicalis (2 isolates). The degree of biofilm activity was affected by both the dietary sugar and the nature of the pellicle (ANOVA, p < 0.01). With most isolates the glucose grown yeasts demonstrated significantly more bioflim activity than the galactose grown fungi, in the presence of pellicles (ANOVA, p < 0.01 or P < 0.01). In contrast, one isolate of galactose-grown yeast elicited significantly higher biofilm activity than glucose-grown yeasts on the control strips (ANOVA, p < 0.01). Taken together, these results imply that a saliva or a serum pellicle, and the carbon source in the environment, act a complex manner modulating Candida bioflim formation. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

PEG-重组酵母尿酸酶结合物的基本特性研究

重组Candida utilis尿酸酶由含PET-Uricase表达质粒的重组E.coli JM109(DE3)经乳糖诱导表达,菌体破碎后依次经过硫酸铵沉淀、阴离子交换层析和凝胶过滤层析可以获得纯度95%的重组尿酸酶。还原性SDS-PAGE和HPLC测得其亚基表观分子量和天然分子量分别约为33 kDa和130 kDa。获得的纯酶与20 kDa (mPEG)2 -Lys-NHS在特定的条件下反应合成PEG-重组酵母尿酸酶结合物,考察了重组酵母尿酸酶PEG化前后的基本性质,结果显示PEG化尿酸酶的最适pH为7.5,较修饰前下降了1个pH单位,酸碱稳定范围与修饰前类似,都在pH 6-10范围内稳定;修饰前后最适温度均为40℃,重组酵母尿酸酶的热稳定性和抗蛋白酶水解能力较PEG修饰前有较大提高;PEG化尿酸酶可保留修饰前酶活力的87.5%;在最适条件下,PEG-尿酸酶结合物的Km为3.57×10-5 mol/L,而修饰前测得的Km为3.91×10-5 mol/L。研究结果为深入探讨PEG化尿酸酶的结构与功能奠定了基础。     

Cleavage of human big endothelin-1 by Candida albicans aspartic proteinase

Abstract A Candida albicans aspartic proteinase (CAP), one of the secretory proteinases of Candida albicans , is thought to be a possible virulence factor in Candida albicans infection. Whereas endothelin-1 is found as an endothelium-derived strong vasoconstrictive peptide, it is known to have a role in the maintenance of vascular homeostasis and tissue survival. Endothelin-1 is generated from a precursor form of endothelin-1, the so-called big endothelin-1. It has recently been reported that cathepsin D, E and pepsin, which are aspartic proteinases, convert big endothelin-1 to endothelin-1. In this study, the relationship between CAP and big endothelin-1 was studied. High performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that big endothelin-1 was cleaved into several amino acid sites by CAP, but endothelin-1 was not converted from big endothelin-1. CAP cleaved big endothelin-1 at different sites when compared with that of other known aspartic proteinases, and it suppressed endothelin-1 production through the degradation of big endothelin-1. CAP may break homeostatic mechanism of endothelin-1 in Candida albicans infectious lesion.     

Extreme diversification driven by parallel events of massive loss of heterozygosity in the hybrid lineage of Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the most commonly reported species causing candidiasis. The taxonomic classification of C. albicans and related lineages is controversial, with Candida africana (syn. C. albicans var. africana) and Candida stellatoidea (syn. C. albicans var. stellatoidea) being considered different species or C. albicans varieties depending on the authors. Moreover, recent genomic analyses have suggested a shared hybrid origin of C. albicans and C. africana, but the potential parental lineages remain unidentified. Although the genomes of C. albicans and C. africana have been extensively studied, the genome of C. stellatoidea has not been sequenced so far. In order to get a better understanding of the evolution of the C. albicans clade, and to assess whether C. stellatoidea could represent one of the unknown C. albicans parental lineages, we sequenced C. stellatoidea type strain (CBS 1905). This genome was compared to that of C. albicans and of the closely related lineage C. africana. Our results show that, similarly to C. africana, C. stellatoidea descends from the same hybrid ancestor as other C. albicans strains and that it has undergone a parallel massive loss of heterozygosity.     

Candida riodocensis and Candida cellae, two new yeast species from the Starmerella clade associated with solitary bees in the Atlantic rain forest of Brazil

Two new ascomycetous yeast species belonging to the Starmerella clade were discovered in nests of two solitary bee species in the Atlantic rain forest of Brazil. Candida riodocensis was isolated from pollen-nectar provisions, larvae and fecal pellets of nests of Megachile sp., and Candida cellae was found in pollen-nectar provisions of Centris tarsata. Analysis of the sequences of the D1/D2 large-subunit ribosomal DNA showed that C. riodocensis is phylogenetically related to C. batistae, and the closest relative of C. cellae is C. etchellsii. The type strains are C. riodocensis UFMG-MG02 (=CBS 10087(T) = NRRL Y-27859(T)) and C. cellae UFMG-PC04 (=CBS 10086(T) = NRRL Y-27860(T)).     

间接免疫荧光法快速鉴别白念珠菌和都柏林念珠菌的初步研究

目的 用一种新制备的单克隆抗体MAb03．2Cl-C2鉴别生物学形态相近的白念珠菌和都柏林念珠菌。方法 用小鼠体内诱导法制备抗白念珠菌芽管胞壁外膜单克隆抗体MAb03．2Cl-C2。用不完全RPMI1640培养液、L—DMEM、H—DMEM、完全1640液、小牛血清诱导白念珠菌和都柏林念珠菌芽管及菌丝形成,间接免疫荧光（IIF）方法检测都柏林念珠菌芽管或菌丝表面有无可与该单抗相结合的成分。收集临床口腔念珠菌病标本涂片,直接做IIF试验。结果 用不完全RP-MI1640培养液37℃,6h可同时最高效率地诱导白念珠菌和都柏林念珠菌芽管或菌丝形成。单抗MAb03．2Cl-C2仅与白念珠菌芽管或菌丝特异性地结合,与都柏林念珠菌的孢子和菌丝不能结合。结论 单抗MAh03．2Cl-C2可用于白念珠菌和都柏林念珠菌实验室的速鉴别。     

48株临床分离假丝酵母菌DNA异质性分析

应用随机扩增多态性DNA技术(RAPD)对48株假丝酵母菌临床菌株进行PCR扩增,并对扩增产物的指纹图谱进行分析,结果显示:48株假丝酵母菌中白假丝酵母菌35株,非白假丝酵母菌13株,引物1和引物2将来源不同的35株白假丝酵母菌分成4型和6型,且RAPD技术可将白假丝酵母菌鉴定至种,并可分辩同种菌的不同型别,是假丝酵母菌致感染、追踪病原的分子流行病学研究有效方法。     

Silver colloidal nanoparticles: antifungal effect against adhered cells and biofilms of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles (SN) against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata adhered cells and biofilms. SN (average diameter 5 nm) were synthesized by silver nitrate reduction with sodium citrate and stabilized with ammonia. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests were performed for C. albicans (n = 2) and C. glabrata (n = 2) grown in suspension following the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute microbroth dilution method. SN were applied to adhered cells (2 h) or biofilms (48 h) and after 24 h of contact their effect was assessed by enumeration of colony forming units (CFUs) and quantification of total biomass (by crystal violet staining). The MIC results showed that SN were fungicidal against all strains tested at very low concentrations (0.4–3.3 μg ml^?1). Furthermore, SN were more effective in reducing biofilm biomass when applied to adhered cells (2 h) than to pre-formed biofilms (48 h), with the exception of C. glabrata ATCC, which in both cases showed a reduction ～90%. Regarding cell viability, SN were highly effective on adhered C. glabrata and respective biofilms. On C. albicans the effect was not so evident but there was also a reduction in the number of viable biofilm cells. In summary, SN may have the potential to be an effective alternative to conventional antifungal agents for future therapies in Candida-associated denture stomatitis.     

Comparison of the epidemiology, drug resistance mechanisms, and virulence of Candida dubliniensis and Candida albicans

Candida dubliniensis is a pathogenic yeast species that was first identified as a distinct taxon in 1995. Epidemiological studies have shown that C. dubliniensis is prevalent throughout the world and that it is primarily associated with oral carriage and oropharyngeal infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. However, unlike Candida albicans, C. dubliniensis is rarely found in the oral microflora of normal healthy individuals and is responsible for as few as 2% of cases of candidemia (compared to approximately 65% for C. albicans). The vast majority of C. dubliniensis isolates identified to date are susceptible to all of the commonly used antifungal agents, however, reduced susceptibility to azole drugs has been observed in clinical isolates and can be readily induced in vitro. The primary mechanism of fluconazole resistance in C. dubliniensis has been shown to be overexpression of the major facilitator efflux pump Mdr1p. It has also been observed that a large number of C. dubliniensis strains express a non-functional truncated form of Cdr1p, and it has been demonstrated that this protein does not play a significant role in fluconazole resistance in the majority of strains examined to date. Data from a limited number of infection models reflect findings from epidemiological studies and suggest that C. dubliniensis is less pathogenic than C. albicans. The reasons for the reduced virulence of C. dubliniensis are not clear as it has been shown that the two species express a similar range of virulence factors. However, although C. dubliniensis produces hyphae, it appears that the conditions and dynamics of induction may differ from those in C. albicans. In addition, C. dubliniensis is less tolerant of environmental stresses such as elevated temperature and NaCl and H(2)O(2) concentration, suggesting that C. albicans may have a competitive advantage when colonising and causing infection in the human body. It is our hypothesis that a genomic comparison between these two closely-related species will help to identify virulence factors responsible for the far greater virulence of C. albicans and possibly identify factors that are specifically implicated in either superficial or systemic candidal infections.     

Silver nanoparticles: influence of stabilizing agent and diameter on antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata biofilms

Aim: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the size‐dependent antifungal activity of different silver nanoparticles (SN) colloidal suspensions against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata mature biofilms. Methods and Results: The research presented herein used SN of three different average sizes (5, 10 and 60 nm), which were synthesized by the reduction of silver nitrate through sodium citrate and which were stabilized with ammonia or polyvinylpyrrolidone. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays were performed using the microdilution methodology. The antibiofilm activity of SN was determined by total biomass quantification (by crystal violet staining) and colony forming units enumeration. MIC results showed that all SN colloidal suspensions were fungicidal against the tested strains at very low concentrations (0·4–3·3 μg ml^?1). With regard to biomass quantification, SN colloidal suspensions were very effective only against C. glabrata biofilms, achieving biomass reductions around 90% at a silver concentration of 108 μg ml^?1. In general, all SN suspensions promoted significant log₁₀ reduction of the mean number of cultivable biofilm cells after exposure to silver concentrations at or higher than 108 μg ml^?1. Moreover, the results showed that the particle size and the type of stabilizing agent used did not interfere in the antifungal activity of SN against Candida biofilms. Conclusions: This study suggests that SN have antifungal therapeutic potential, but further studies are still required namely regarding formulation and delivery means. Significance and Impact of the Study: SN may contribute to the development of new strategies for the improvement of oral health and quality of life particularly of the complete denture wearers.     

Effect of farnesol on Candida dubliniensis biofilm formation and fluconazole resistance

Candida dubliniensis and Candida albicans are dimorphic fungal species with a number of pathogenic capabilities, including biofilm formation, systemic infection and development of fluconazole resistance. In this study, the ability of farnesol to disrupt these virulence capabilities was investigated. Biofilm assessment and susceptibility studies indicated antifungal and antibiofilm properties for farnesol on both species with a disruptive effect on the cell membrane. Synergy testing of farnesol and fluconazole in resistant strains resulted in reversal of fluconazole resistance, indicating a potential application for farnesol as an adjuvant therapeutic agent.     

Quantification of thigmotropism (contact sensing) of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis

To quantify the thigmotropism, we adapted the our previous method using a chemotaxifilter system in combination with a bioluminescent adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay based on firefly luciferase-luciferin system and analyzed the relationship between the ability of germ tube formation and thigmotropism of C. albicans and C. tropicalis. Both the ability to form germ tube and the amount of hyphae exhibiting thigmotropism varied depending upon both the species and strains of Candida. C. albicans formed more germ tubes than C. tropicalis. A good correlation was observed between the ability to form a germ tube and the capacity for thigmotropism, and the results gave a level of significance (p<0.05). Further, SEM observation revealed that relatively long hyphae of C. tropicalis with penetrated through the pores of filter membrane. This phenomenon may be of importance in the development of pathogenesis of C. tropicalis as well as C. albicans. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.