Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ning Gao, Baodi Dai, Xinyi Nie, Qun Zhao, Wencheng Zhu, Jiangye Chen
Summary: In this study, the researchers identified Fun30 as a protein that interacts with Wor1 and is required for WOR1 expression and the formation of opaque cells in Candida albicans. Fun30 is upregulated in opaque cells and its overexpression increases the white-opaque switching process. The upregulation of Fun30 is dependent on CO2 and the key CO2-sensing transcriptional regulator FLO8. Additionally, deletion of Fun30 affects the WOR1 expression regulation feedback loop.
ACTA BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Chapman N. Beekman, Christina A. Cuomo, Richard J. Bennett, Iuliana Ene
Summary: The white-opaque transition in Candida species is a heritable and reversible process controlled by highly interconnected transcriptional networks. A study on Candida albicans revealed rare genetic changes between white and opaque cells, suggesting that epigenetic mechanisms rather than genetic variation play a key role in mediating this switch.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Susana Hidalgo-Vico, Josefina Casas, Carolina Garcia, M. Pilar Lillo, Rebeca Alonso-Monge, Elvira Roman, Jesus Pla
Summary: In this study, we investigated the role of the transcription factor Wor1 in commensalism by examining strains overexpressing this gene. We found that overexpression of WOR1 caused alterations in the lipid composition of fungal cells, increased sensitivity to membrane-disturbing agents and azole drugs, and changes in cellular physiology. These findings provide insights into the adaptation mechanisms of Candida albicans in the gastrointestinal tract.
Review
Microbiology
Mohammad N. Qasim, Ashley Valle Arevalo, Clarissa J. Nobile, Aaron D. Hernday
Summary: Candida albicans, a diploid polymorphic fungus, can switch reversibly between white and opaque cell types through a unique heritable epigenetic program. Different transcriptional programs govern the establishment and maintenance of these cell types, leading to various differences in metabolism, mating competencies, morphology, responses to environmental signals, etc. Transcription factors are the primary focus of investigation, while chromatin accessibility also plays a significant role in regulating the dynamics of the white-opaque switch.
Article
Microbiology
Yuchen Deng, Shuaihu Li, Jian Bing, Wanqing Liao, Li Tao
Summary: This study reports three distinct phenotypes in C. haemulonii - white, pink, and filament - which differ in cellular and colony appearance, gene expression profiles, CuSO4 tolerance, and virulence. Cells can heritably and reversibly switch between white and pink cell types (primary switching system), while switching between pink and filamentous phenotypes is nonheritable and temperature-dependent (second switching system). Switching among the different morphological types may provide C. haemulonii with phenotypic plasticity for rapid responses to the changing host environment, contributing to its virulence.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Elvira Roman, Daniel Prieto, Susana Hidalgo-Vico, Rebeca Alonso-Monge, Jesus Pla
Summary: The transcriptional master regulator WOR1 plays a vital role in the white opaque transition of Candida albicans. Its overexpression in mutant cells defective in the Hog1 MAP kinase enables the establishment of commensalism in the murine gut and even competes with wild-type C. albicans cells. This enhanced fitness is associated with increased adherence to biotic surfaces, elevated production of proteinase and phospholipase, and reduced filamentation in vitro. Furthermore, hog1 WOR1(OE) does not exhibit virulence in a systemic candidiasis model in mice.
Article
Immunology
Jing Yang, Wenli Feng, Zhiqin Xi, Lu Yang, Xiaoxia Zhao, Yan Ma, Yanping Ma
Summary: The study found that gray cells of Candida albicans exhibited the strongest Sap activity and pathogenicity, followed by opaque cells, with white cells being the least. All three phenotypic cells were susceptible to fluconazole.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Thomas P. Conway, Kayla Conway, Frank A. Boksa, Claude Pujol, Deborah Wessels, David R. Soll
Summary: Research indicates that in the transition from white to opaque phenotype, cells commit to the opaque phenotype at a specific time point correlated with the upregulation of specific genes several hours later.
Article
Immunology
Ying Li, Chaoqun Chen, Liu Cong, Shanshan Mao, Mingzhu Shan, Zibing Han, Jiayi Mao, Zhiyu Xie, Zuobin Zhu
Summary: This study identified a maleimide compound (MPD) that effectively inhibits various virulence factors of C. albicans, including adhesion, filamentation, and biofilm formation. MPD has low cytotoxicity, hemolytic activity, and drug resistance development. In a Galleria mellonella-C. albicans infection model, MPD treatment significantly prolonged the survival time of infected larvae. Mechanism research revealed that MPD increased farnesol secretion, which inhibited the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway and subsequently inhibited the virulence factors. This study suggests the potential application of MPD in overcoming fungal infections in clinics.
Article
Microbiology
Jessie MacAlpine, Zhongle Liu, Saif Hossain, Luke Whitesell, Nicole Robbins, Leah E. Cowen
Summary: This study characterizes the role of Yak1 in regulating C. albicans morphogenesis and identifies a previously unknown role for Pom1 in the yeast-to-filament transition. Furthermore, the findings suggest that inhibition of Yak1 may serve as a therapeutic strategy to combat C. albicans dermatitis.
Article
Microbiology
Rohan S. Wakade, Juraj Kramara, Melanie Wellington, Damian J. Krysan
Summary: The transition of Candida albicans between different forms is tightly regulated by the cAMP-PKA pathway, but during infection, this pathway is not required for filamentation. The transcriptional responses in vivo and in vitro are similar, indicating that the regulation of filamentation depends on specific environments.
Article
Microbiology
Guolei Zhao, Laura N. Rusche
Summary: Candida albicans can switch between yeast and hyphal growth forms, with the sirtuin deacetylase Sir2 playing a critical role in hyphal growth and gene regulation. Loss of Sir2 hampers hypha formation and is essential for the transition from yeast to hyphae. Understanding the role of sirtuins in this process may lead to the development of novel antifungal therapies.
Article
Immunology
Li Tao, Min Wang, Guobo Guan, Yuwei Zhang, Tingting Hao, Chao Li, Shuaihu Li, Yihua Chen, Guanghua Huang
Summary: In this study, it was discovered that the bacteria Streptococcus mutans represses filamentous development and virulence in the fungus Candida albicans through secreting a secondary metabolite called mutanocyclin. The mutanocyclin functions by regulating the PKA catabolic subunit Tpk2 and its binding target Sfl1. The cell wall biogenesis and remodeling proteins, as well as filamentous regulators, also contribute to the response to mutanocyclin.
Article
Microbiology
Susana Hidalgo Vico, Daniel Prieto, Rebeca Alonso Monge, Elvira Roman, Jesus Pla
Summary: The study reveals that the isocitrate lyase enzyme Icl1 plays a crucial role in the adaptation of Candida albicans to a commensal state, as mutants lacking Icl1 show reduced fitness in the mouse gastrointestinal tract.
Article
Microbiology
Rocio Garcia-Rodas, Hayet Labbaoui, Francois Orange, Norma Solis, Oscar Zaragoza, Scott G. Filler, Martine Bassilana, Robert A. Arkowitz
Summary: This study reveals that plasma membrane PI(4)P plays a central role in filamentation, cell wall integrity, and virulence in Candida albicans.
Article
Microbiology
Jiao Gong, Jun Wu, Melanie Ikeh, Li Tao, Yulong Zhang, Jian Bing, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2020)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jian Bing, Zimeng You, Qiushi Zheng, Jiaoqing Tang, Yuping Ran, Guanghua Huang
Article
Microbiology
Jiao Gong, Jian Bing, Guobo Guan, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2020)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Qiushi Zheng, Guobo Guan, Chengjun Cao, Qi Li, Guanghua Huang
Review
Microbiology
Han Du, Craig L. Ennis, Aaron D. Hernday, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
Article
Microbiology
Jian Bing, Tianren Hu, Qiushi Zheng, Jose F. Munoz, Christina A. Cuomo, Guanghua Huang
Summary: Candida auris is a newly emerging fungal pathogen that has garnered attention from the clinical and research communities. Experimental evolution assays revealed that the gain of an extra copy of chromosome V is associated with rapid acquisition of fluconazole resistance in C. auris, representing an important evolutionary mechanism of antifungal resistance. Mutations in specific genes were also identified in all experimentally evolved strains, further contributing to understanding the development of antifungal resistance in this fungal pathogen.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Shuru Fan, Chao Li, Jian Bing, Guanghua Huang, Han Du
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Mycology
Jian Bing, Sijia Wang, Heping Xu, Shuru Fan, Han Du, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
Summary: The study reported a case of C. auris candidemia in a patient in Xiamen, China, and reviewed the current reported cases of C. auris infection in the country. The research found at least two genetic clades of C. auris in China, with diverse biological and genetic features that may be associated with mating types of the isolates.
MYCOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON FUNGAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Immunology
Han Du, Jian Bing, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
Article
Immunology
Li Tao, Min Wang, Guobo Guan, Yuwei Zhang, Tingting Hao, Chao Li, Shuaihu Li, Yihua Chen, Guanghua Huang
Summary: In this study, it was discovered that the bacteria Streptococcus mutans represses filamentous development and virulence in the fungus Candida albicans through secreting a secondary metabolite called mutanocyclin. The mutanocyclin functions by regulating the PKA catabolic subunit Tpk2 and its binding target Sfl1. The cell wall biogenesis and remodeling proteins, as well as filamentous regulators, also contribute to the response to mutanocyclin.
Article
Microbiology
Qiushi Zheng, Jing Liu, Juanxiu Qin, Bingjie Wang, Jian Bing, Han Du, Min Li, Fangyou Yu, Guanghua Huang
Summary: This study reports the population structure and ploidy states of 500 clinical isolates of Candida glabrata from China. Surprisingly, the ploidy of a subset of clinical isolates varied dramatically, with some able to switch to aneuploid, diploid, or hyperdiploid forms. Cells with different ploidy in C. glabrata exhibited differences in morphology, antifungal susceptibility, virulence, and global gene expression profile. Ploidy switching could be a strategy for rapid adaptation to environmental changes and an alternative to sexual reproduction in this fungus.
Article
Microbiology
Han Du, Qiushi Zheng, Richard J. Bennett, Guanghua Huang
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Guobo Guan, Li Tao, Chao Li, Ming Xu, Ling Liu, Richard J. Bennett, Guanghua Huang
Summary: Glucose depletion enables efficient sexual mating of white C. albicans cells, as the expression levels of pheromone-sensing and mating-associated genes increase under this condition. In addition, the deletion of TEC1 or overexpression of CPH1 promotes white cell mating, while inactivation of Cph1 repressor Dig1 significantly enhances white cell mating in glucose-depleted medium. This study suggests that the white-to-opaque switch may not be required for sexual mating in C. albicans.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jian Bing, Zhangyue Guan, Tianhong Zheng, Zhijie Zhang, Shuru Fan, Craig L. Ennis, Clarissa J. Nobile, Guanghua Huang
Summary: This study reports a new aggregating form of two clinical C. auris isolates with increased biofilm forming capacity due to enhanced adherence and amplification of ALS4 gene. Compared to the previously characterized strains, this new Als4-mediated aggregative-form strain of C. auris displays several unique characteristics in terms of its biofilm formation, surface colonization, and virulence.
Article
Immunology
Shuru Fan, Ping Zhan, Jian Bing, Ning Jiang, Yingnan Huang, Dongke Chen, Tianren Hu, Han Du, Guanghua Huang
Summary: This study identified two isolates of Candida auris with distinct antifungal susceptibility and genetic origins in Beijing, China. The drug-resistant strain BJCA002 showed lower virulence compared to the susceptible strain BJCA001. Genomic analysis revealed multiple mutations in drug resistance-associated genes in BJCA002, shedding new light on the genetic basis of antifungal resistance and virulence in C. auris.
