Examination of the pathogenic potential of Candida albicans filamentous cells in an animal model of haematogenously disseminated candidiasis.

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is an increasingly common threat to human health. Candida albicans grows in several morphologies and mutant strains locked in yeast or filamentous forms have attenuated virulence in the murine model of disseminated candidiasis. Thus, the ability to change shape is important for virulence.

Candida albicans adhesin Als3p is dispensable for virulence in the mouse model of disseminated candidiasis.

The presence of specific proteins, including Ece1p, Hwp1p and Als3p, distinguishes the Candida albicans hyphal cell wall from that of yeast-form cells. These proteins are thought to be important for the ability of C. albicans cells to adhere to living and non-living surfaces and for the cell-to-cell adhesion necessary for biofilm formation, and also to be pivotal in mediating C.

Pseudohyphal regulation by the transcription factor Rfg1p in Candida albicans.

The opportunistic human fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a major cause of nosocomial infections. One of the fundamental features of C. albicans pathogenesis is the yeast-to-hypha transition.