Candida albicans Displays Differential Phenotypic and Genotypic Filamentation Profiles Based on Media
Abstract
In a large portion of the population, Candida albicans is a harmless member of the gut microbiome; however, this opportunistic fungal pathogen is the leading cause of candidiasis infections. The pathogenesis of C. albicans’ relies on alternating yeast and hyphal states via the process of filamentation, and characteristics of filamentation are major qualifications when clinically assessing the severity of infection. In a research setting, media type and state impact the filamentation of C. albicans, leading to observed phenotypes which do not necessarily reflect in vivo traits. To examine the effect various media have on filamentation a time course analysis of C. albicans strain SC5314 was performed. Cells from an overnight sample were plated on one of the following media: YPD, Lee’s, Spider, FBS, and RPMI, and grown at intervals 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes at 30℃ or 37℃. Plates were imaged before cells were collected for RNA extraction. Evaluations of transcript levels at later stages of filamentation have been poor predictors of genes involved in filamentation; therefore, it was decided that RNA would be extracted from cells collected at 30 minutes post induction, a time point that precedes the development of filaments in inducing conditions based on imaging. RNAseq data has been analyzed to reveal the activity of genes at the initiation of filamentation.
Candida albicans Displays Differential Phenotypic and Genotypic Filamentation Profiles Based on Media
In a large portion of the population, Candida albicans is a harmless member of the gut microbiome; however, this opportunistic fungal pathogen is the leading cause of candidiasis infections. The pathogenesis of C. albicans’ relies on alternating yeast and hyphal states via the process of filamentation, and characteristics of filamentation are major qualifications when clinically assessing the severity of infection. In a research setting, media type and state impact the filamentation of C. albicans, leading to observed phenotypes which do not necessarily reflect in vivo traits. To examine the effect various media have on filamentation a time course analysis of C. albicans strain SC5314 was performed. Cells from an overnight sample were plated on one of the following media: YPD, Lee’s, Spider, FBS, and RPMI, and grown at intervals 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes at 30℃ or 37℃. Plates were imaged before cells were collected for RNA extraction. Evaluations of transcript levels at later stages of filamentation have been poor predictors of genes involved in filamentation; therefore, it was decided that RNA would be extracted from cells collected at 30 minutes post induction, a time point that precedes the development of filaments in inducing conditions based on imaging. RNAseq data has been analyzed to reveal the activity of genes at the initiation of filamentation.