β-1,6-Glucan plays a central role in the structure and remodeling of the bilaminate fungal cell wall.

The cell wall of human fungal pathogens plays critical roles as an architectural scaffold and as a target and modulator of the host immune response. Although the cell wall of the pathogenic yeast is intensively studied, one of the major fibrillar components in its cell wall, β-1,6-glucan, has been largely neglected. Here, we show that β-1,6-glucan is essential for bilayered cell wall organization, cell wall integrity, and filamentous growth.

Candida albicans strains adapted to the mouse gut are resistant to bile salts via a Flo8-dependent mechanism.

Candidaalbicans normally colonizes the human gastrointestinal tract as a commensal. Studying fungal factors involved in colonizing the mammalian gastrointestinal tract requires mouse models with altered microbiota. We have obtained strains of C.

Metabolic reprogramming during Candida albicans planktonic-biofilm transition is modulated by the transcription factors Zcf15 and Zcf26.

Candida albicans is a commensal of the human microbiota that can form biofilms on implanted medical devices. These biofilms are tolerant to antifungals and to the host immune system. To identify novel genes modulating C.

A gain-of-function mutation in zinc cluster transcription factor Rob1 drives Candida albicans adaptive growth in the cystic fibrosis lung environment.

Candida albicans chronically colonizes the respiratory tract of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It competes with CF-associated pathogens (e.g.

Secretion of the fungal toxin candidalysin is dependent on conserved precursor peptide sequences.

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans damages host cells via its peptide toxin, candidalysin. Before secretion, candidalysin is embedded in a precursor protein, Ece1, which consists of a signal peptide, the precursor of candidalysin and seven non-candidalysin Ece1 peptides (NCEPs), and is found to be conserved in clinical isolates. Here we show that the Ece1 polyprotein does not resemble the usual precursor structure of peptide toxins.

Use of the Fluorescent Dye Thioflavin T to Track Amyloid Structures in the Pathogenic Yeast .

The human pathogenic yeast can attach to epithelial cells or indwelling medical devices to form biofilms. These microbial communities are highly problematic in the clinic as they reduce both sensitivity to antifungal drugs and detection of fungi by the immune system. Amyloid structures are highly organized quaternary structures that play a critical role in biofilm establishment by allowing fungal cells to adhere to each other.

A CO sensing module modulates β-1,3-glucan exposure in .

Microbial species capable of co-existing with healthy individuals, such as the commensal fungus exploit multifarious strategies to evade our immune defenses. These strategies include the masking of immunoinflammatory pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) at their cell surface. We reported previously that actively reduces the exposure of the proinflammatory PAMP, β-1,3-glucan, at its cell surface in response to host-related signals such as lactate and hypoxia.

Elemental sulfur enhances the anti-fungal effect of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Lcr35.

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Lcr35 is a well-known bacterial strain whose efficiency in preventing recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis has been largely demonstrated in clinical trials. The presence of sodium thiosulfate (STS) has been shown to enhance its ability to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans strains. In this study, we confirmed that Lcr35 has a fungicidal effect not only on the planktonic form of C.

Shotgun metagenomics reveals interkingdom association between intestinal bacteria and fungi involving competition for nutrients.

Background: The accuracy of internal-transcribed-spacer (ITS) and shotgun metagenomics has not been robustly evaluated, and the effect of diet on the composition and function of the bacterial and fungal gut microbiome in a longitudinal setting has been poorly investigated. Here we compared two approaches to study the fungal community (ITS and shotgun metagenomics), proposed an enrichment protocol to perform a reliable mycobiome analysis using a comprehensive in-house fungal database, and correlated dietary data with both bacterial and fungal communities.

Results: We found that shotgun DNA sequencing after a new enrichment protocol combined with the most comprehensive and novel fungal databases provided a cost-effective approach to perform gut mycobiome profiling at the species level and to integrate bacterial and fungal community analyses in fecal samples.

The pathogenic and colonization potential of Candida africana.

The Candida albicans population displays high genetic diversity illustrated by 18-well differentiated genetic clusters. Cluster 13, also known as Candida africana, is an outlying cluster and includes strains first described as atypical C. albicans isolates of vaginal origin, showing apparent tropism for the female genital tract.

The Pga59 cell wall protein is an amyloid forming protein involved in adhesion and biofilm establishment in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.

The human commensal fungus Candida albicans can attach to epithelia or indwelling medical devices and form biofilms, that are highly tolerant to antifungal drugs and can evade the immune response. The cell surface protein Pga59 has been shown to influence adhesion and biofilm formation. Here, we present evidence that Pga59 displays amyloid properties.

High-throughput functional profiling of the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans genome.

Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen of humans. Although its genome has been sequenced more than two decades ago, there are still over 4300 uncharacterized C. albicans genes.

Transcript profiling reveals the role of PDB1, a subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, in Candida albicans biofilm formation.

Candida albicans, the most prevalent fungal pathogen in the human microbiota can form biofilms on implanted medical devices. These biofilms are tolerant to conventional antifungal drugs and the host immune system as compared to the free-floating planktonic cells. Several in vitro models of biofilm formation have been used to determine the C.

A Clinical Study Provides the First Direct Evidence That Interindividual Variations in Fecal β-Lactamase Activity Affect the Gut Mycobiota Dynamics in Response to β-Lactam Antibiotics.

Antibiotics disturb the intestinal bacterial microbiota, leading to gut dysbiosis and an increased risk for the overgrowth of opportunistic pathogens. It is not fully understood to what extent antibiotics affect the fungal fraction of the intestinal microbiota, the mycobiota. There is no report of the direct role of antibiotics in the overgrowth in healthy humans of the opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.

Bending stiffness of hyphae as a proxy of cell wall properties.

The cell wall is a key component of fungi. It constitutes a highly regulated viscoelastic shell which counteracts internal cell turgor pressure. Its mechanical properties thus contribute to define cell morphology.

Functional Portrait of Irf1 (Orf19.217), a Regulator of Morphogenesis and Iron Homeostasis in .

The alternate growth of between a unicellular yeast form and a multicellular hyphal form is crucial for its ability to cause disease. Interestingly, both morphological forms support distinct functions during proliferation in the human host. We previously identified (C2_08890W_A), encoding a zinc-finger transcription factor of the CH family, in a systematic screen of genes whose overexpression contributes to ' morphological changes.

Multiple Stochastic Parameters Influence Genome Dynamics in a Heterozygous Diploid Eukaryotic Model.

The heterozygous diploid genome of displays frequent genomic rearrangements, in particular loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) events, which can be seen on all eight chromosomes and affect both laboratory and clinical strains. LOHs, which are often the consequence of DNA damage repair, can be observed upon stresses reminiscent of the host environment, and result in homozygous regions of various sizes depending on the molecular mechanisms at their origins. Recent studies have shed light on the biological importance of these frequent and ubiquitous LOH events in .

A phylogenetically-restricted essential cell cycle progression factor in the human pathogen Candida albicans.

Chromosomal instability caused by cell division errors is associated with antifungal drug resistance in fungal pathogens. Here, we identify potential mechanisms underlying such instability by conducting an overexpression screen monitoring chromosomal stability in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Analysis of ~1000 genes uncovers six chromosomal stability (CSA) genes, five of which are related to cell division genes of other organisms.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of calcium signals during neutrophil cluster formation.

Neutrophils form cellular clusters or swarms in response to injury or pathogen intrusion. Yet, intracellular signaling events favoring this coordinated response remain to be fully characterized. Here, we show that calcium signals play a critical role during mouse neutrophil clustering around particles of zymosan, a structural fungal component.

A protocol for ultrastructural study of Candida albicans biofilm using transmission electron microscopy.

This protocol describes how to analyze C. albicans biofilm using transmission electron microscopy. We present two approaches to observe the ultrastructure of fungal cells within unperturbed biofilms, as well as an immunogold labeling procedure.