Candida biofilms: is adhesion sexy?

The development of Candida albicans biofilms requires two types of adhesion molecule - the Als proteins and Hwp1. Mutational analyses have recently revealed that these molecules play complementary roles, and their characteristics suggest that they may have evolved from primitive mating agglutinins.     

Systemic Candida infection in University Hospital 1997–1999: the distribution of Candida biotypes and antifungal susceptibility patterns

A total of 102 Candida species were isolated from blood cultures from January 1997 to October 1999. Using assimilation of carbohydrate test, 52 (51.0%) of the Candida sp. were identified as C. parapsilosis, 25.5% (26) were C. tropicalis. C. albicans made up 11.8% (12), 6.9% (7) were C. rugosa, 3.8% (4) C. glabrata and 1% (1) C. guilliermondii. No C. dubliniensis was found in the study. In vitro antifungal susceptibility tests showed that all Candida species were sensitive to nystatin, amphotericin B and ketoconazole. Although all isolates remained sensitive to fluconazole, intermediate susceptibility was found in 3 C. rugosa isolates. Antifungal agents with high frequency of resistance were econazole, clotrimazole, miconazole and 5-fluorocytosine. Candida species found to have resistance to these antifungal agents were non-C. albicans. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Candida glycerinogenes不同碳源代谢的初步研究

研究了不同碳源对Candidaglycerinogenes的菌体生长、发酵液pH值及代谢产物的影响,结果发现以葡萄糖、果糖等单糖为碳源时茵体生长较快,最终生物量比以蔗糖、麦芽糖等二糖为碳源时高20％～30％;导致发酵前12h发酵液pH值明显下降的主要因素是乳酸;与葡萄糖为碳源转化为甘油相比,果糖为碳源时更易累积乙醇;以蔗糖、麦芽糖为碳源时,用于转化生成甘油的碳源明显降低,碳源主要用于茵体自身生物合成及HMP途径,以蔗糖为碳源时,用于乳酸、丙酸及柠檬酸生物合成的碳源较麦芽糖明显提高,TCA途径代谢较为活跃。     

Candida rugosa脂肪酶同工酶的分离及选择固定化

采用"界面亲和层析",从商品Candida rugosa脂肪酶(CRL)中分离到三个同工酶(CRL-1、CRL-2和CRL-3),它们在水-有机溶剂双液相体系中催化(R,S)-萘普生甲酯的不对称水解反应,具有不同的立体选择性.分析表明:CRL-1和CRL-2上不同程度地非共价结合有小分子的酸性化合物,阻碍了其活性位点处疏水腔的完全开放;CRL-3上不含有该小分子酸性化合物,活性位点处疏水腔可处于完全开放构象.据此分别将CRL同工酶选择性地固定在不同的载体(GDX101和YWG-NH2)上.通过简单易行的选择吸附步骤,可同时达到同工酶的分离及固定化目的,提出了一种对结构上相差不大同工酶分离的便利方法.     

Differentially-expressed genes in Candida albicans exposed to ε-poly-l-lysine

Candida albicans is an opportunistic human pathogen whose disinfection is a challenge. ε-Poly-l-lysine (ε-PL), an antagonistic agent, can disrupt cell membranes and inhibit the growth of C. albicans. Genes that were differentially-expressed in response to ε-PL were isolated from C. albicans and identified by suppression subtractive hybridization. Ten subtracted clones, that share >98 % homology with known genes of C. albicans, were isolated. Among these, four genes encoded cell wall-associated proteins. Real-time quantitative PCR and northern blot hybridization suggest that these genes are involved in the response to ε-PL. These findings will help to determine the mechanism of the antimicrobial activity of ε-PL against C. albicans.     

Genetically Compromising Phospholipid Metabolism Limits Candida albicans’ Virulence

Mycopathologia - Perturbing ergosterol synthesis has been previously shown to reduce the virulence of Candida albicans. We tested the hypothesis that further altering cell membrane composition by...     

脂肪酶产生菌Candida rugosa产酶条件研究

脂肪酶(Lipase,EC3.1.1.3)是用来催化酯类化合物的分解、合成和酯交换的特殊酶,具有高度的化学选择性和立体异构性,它广泛应用于食品、轻纺、皮革、香料、化妆品、洗涤剂、有机合成、医药等领域.本世纪80年代,美国科学家发现酶在近无水的有机溶剂中不仅能保存其催化活力,而且还获得许多新的催化特征[1],此后,脂肪酶在非水相酶催化领域的研究和应用逐渐增多.     

Candida africana: Is It a Fungal Pathogen?

Twelve years ago, Candida africana was proposed as new species within the Candida albicans species complex, and since then has raised much controversy regarding whether or not it should be considered a separate species from C. albicans. Although its taxonomic status is still a matter of debate, this yeast differs from C. albicans by a number of phenotypic, genotypic, pathogenic and clinical characteristics that make this fungus particularly interesting to study. Current epidemiological and clinical data suggest that C. africana has a worldwide distribution, is particularly adapted to colonize/infect human vaginal mucosa, and may also be responsible for most serious diseases involving other human organs. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge about C. africana, highlighting its role in human infections, thus providing a complete clinical picture in order to understand if this yeast can be considered an important pathogen.     

Candida albicans hyphal invasion: thigmotropism or chemotropism?

Hyphae of the human pathogenic fungus Candida albicans exhibit thigmotropic behaviour in vitro, in common with phytopathogenic and saprotrophic fungi. An examination of the literature on C. albicans hyphal penetration of epithelial and endothelial membranes does not support the premise that hyphal thigmotropism plays a major role in tissue invasion. Further experimentation is now required to assess thigmotropic behaviour on host membranes and vaginal epithelial cells are suggested as a test model. It is proposed that while thigmotropism may and invasion of tissue invaginations, chemotropism can explain C. albicans hyphal invasion patterns of both endothelium and epithelium.     

Case–Case Comparison of Candida auris Versus Other Candida Species Bloodstream Infections: Results of an Outbreak Investigation in Colombia

Background

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that causes outbreaks in healthcare settings around the world. In 2016, clinicians and public health officials identified patients with C. auris bloodstream infections (BSI) in Colombian healthcare facilities. To evaluate potential risk factors and outcomes for these infections, we investigated epidemiologic and clinical features of patients with C. auris and other Candida species BSI.

Methods

We performed a retrospective case-case investigation in four Colombian acute care hospitals, defining a case as Candida spp. isolated from blood culture during January 2015–September 2016. C. auris BSI cases were compared to other Candida species BSI cases. Odds ratio (OR), estimated using logistic regression, was used to assess the association between risk factors and outcomes.

Results

We analyzed 90 patients with BSI, including 40 with C. auris and 50 with other Candida species. All had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). No significant demographic differences existed between the two groups. The following variables were independently associated with C. auris BSI:?≥?15 days of pre-infection ICU stay (OR: 5.62, CI: 2.04–15.5), evidence of severe sepsis (OR: 3.70, CI 1.19–11.48), and diabetes mellitus (OR 5.69, CI 1.01–31.9).

Conclusion

Patients with C. auris BSI had longer lengths of ICU stay than those with other candidemias, suggesting that infections are acquired during hospitalization. This is different from other Candida infections, which are usually thought to result from autoinfection with host flora.

     

Affinity Chromatographic Purification of β-Glucosidase of Candida Guilliermondii

Abstract

A 8-glucosidase was isolated from Candida guilliermondii, a yeast capable of growth on cellobiose. The enzyme was partially purified by treatment with polyethylcneimine and ammonium sulfate precipitation. Further purification was achieved by affinity chromatography using a Sepharose 4B matrix to which oxidized salicin was coupled through adipic dihydrazide. The final product was a 12.5-fold purification of the crude extract with a recovery of 27% of the initial enzyme activity. Polyacryl-amide disc electrophoresis of the purified enzyme gave a single band. A K_m of 1.25 × 10^?4M was obtained using p_-nitrophenyl-β-D_-glucopyranoside as the substrate. The optimum pH for enzyme activity was 6.8. Maximum activity was observed at a temperature of 37°C. Enzyme activity was completely inhibited by Hg⁺⁺, Pb⁺⁺, and Zn⁺⁺ ions. The molecular weight of the enzyme is 48, 000 as estimated by sucrose density gradient centri-fugation.     

Identificación presuntiva de Candida spp. y de otras levaduras de importancia clínica: utilidad de Brilliance Candida Agar

Fungal infections caused by yeasts have increased during the last decades and invasive forms represent a serious problem for human health. Candida albicans is the species most frequently isolated from clinical samples. However, other emerging yeast pathogens are increasingly responsible for mycotic infections, and some of them are resistant to some antifungal drugs. Consequently, it is necessary to have methods that can provide a rapid presumptive identification at species level.Numerous chromogenic agar media have been shown to be of value as diagnostic tools. We have compared a chromogenic medium, Brilliance Candida Agar, with CHROMagar Candida, the chromogenic medium most used in our country. A multicentre study was conducted in 16 Hospitals belonging to the Mycology Net of Buenos Aires City Government. A total of 240 yeast isolates were included in this research.The new chromogenic agar showed results very similar to those obtained with CHROMagar Candida.     

假丝酵母Candida rugosa产脂肪酶条件的优化

对假丝酵母Candidarugosa产脂肪酶的条件进行了优化.比较实验证明,碳源是影响酶产量的主要因素.其中,糖类使细胞生长良好,但酶产量较低,而脂类是较为适合的碳源.本实验首次发现长链的不饱和脂肪酸酯,三油酸甘油酯是最好的碳源.氮源的影响较小.而添加物的使用是有效提高脂肪酶产量的另一种方法.PVA可促进碳源的乳化,从而提高脂肪酶产量.吐温虽没有促进细胞生长,但却大幅度提高了酶的产量.将以上优化的结果应用于发酵罐中,分批流加操作时,脂肪酶产量高达每毫升128.2单位,为目前报道的最高值.     

不同渗透压调节剂对Candida krusei生理代谢的影响

比较了氯化钠、氯化钾、甘露醇存在的高渗环境下克鲁氏假丝酵母(Candida kru-sei)的生理代谢。3种渗透压调节剂对C.krusei生理代谢影响有显著差异。与甘露醇相比,氯化钠和氯化钾对细胞生长的影响更为显著,而氯化钾对细胞的毒性则又小于氯化钠。细胞对糖的消耗速率依次为甘露醇>氯化钾>氯化钠。甘油和海藻糖是C.krusei在高渗环境下的主要相容性溶质。氯化钠和氯化钾对甘油合成的促进作用明显高于甘露醇。在0.6mol/L氯化钠、氯化钾、甘露醇存在时,细胞甘油浓度较对照提高了74%、63%、57%;胞内甘油最大含量也分别达到对照的3.1,2.4和1.8倍。高渗环境下胞内海藻糖含量在发酵前期均有所降低,但发酵后期在0.6mol/L氯化钾和甘露醇存在时海藻糖迅速积累,其含量分别达对照的1.6和1.4倍。     

Cerulenin inhibits de novo sophorolipid synthesis of Candida bombicola

Synthesis of medium-chain sophorolipids by Candida bombicola is a challenging objective. One of the difficulties is that the obtained sophorolipids always represent a mixture of medium-chain and native de novo formed or long-chain sophorolipids. The fatty acid moiety of de novo sophorolipids is derived from the de novo synthesis of fatty acids. Fatty acid synthesis can be blocked by the antifungal agent cerulenin, an inhibitor if the fatty acid synthase (FAS) complex acting on the β-ketoacyl thioester synthetase reaction. The toxic effect of cerulenin on C. bombicola was evaluated and 20 mg/ml was added in the stationary growth phase. No de novo formed sophorolipids were observed when the cells were cultured on merely glucose. Also when the hydrophilic substrate, 1,12-dodedanediol, was added, no de novo formed sophorolipids were detected, leading to a reduced complexity of the sophorolipid mixture.     

In Vitro Biofilm Activity of Non-Candida albicans Candida Species

Candidosis has been attributed to C. albicans; however, infections caused by non-Candida albicans Candida (NCAC) species are increasingly being recognised. The ability of Candida to grow as a biofilm is an important feature that promotes both infection and persistence in the host. The biofilms’ activity is significant since high activity might be associated with enhanced expression of putative virulence factors, whilst in contrast low activity has previously been suggested as a mechanism for resistance of biofilm cells to antimicrobials. The aim of this study was to determine the metabolic activity of in vitro biofilms formed by different clinical isolates of NCAC species. The in situ total metabolic activity of C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis and C. glabrata biofilms was determined using 2,3-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulphophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino) carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) reduction assay, and the number of cultivable cells was also established by CFU (colony forming unit) counts. The biofilm structure was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that total biofilm metabolic activity was species and strain dependent. C. glabrata exhibited the lowest biofilm metabolic activity despite having the highest number of biofilm cultivable cells. Similarly, the metabolic activity of resuspended C. glabrata biofilm and planktonic cells was lower than that of the other species. This study demonstrates the existence of intrinsic activity differences amongst NCAC species, which could have important implications in terms of species relative virulence. Furthermore, the absence of an obvious correlation, between cultivable cells number and total biofilm activity, raises the question about which parameter is the most appropriate for the in vitro assessment of biofilms and their potential clinical significance.