Candida albicans hyphal initiation and elongation

Abstract

The fungus Candida albicans is a benign member of the mucosal microbiota, but can cause mucosal infections and life-threatening disseminated invasive infections in susceptible individuals. The ability to switch between yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal growth forms (polymorphism) is one of the most investigated virulence attributes of C. albicans. Recent studies suggest that hyphal development in C. albicans requires two temporally linked regulations for initiation and maintenance of the hyphal transcriptional program. Hyphal initiation requires a rapid but temporary disappearance of the Nrg1 transcriptional repressor of hyphal morphogenesis. Hyphal maintenance requires active sensing of the surrounding environment, leading to exclusion of Nrg1 binding to promoters of hypha-specific genes or reduced NRG1 expression. We discuss recent advances in understanding the complex transcriptional regulation of hyphal gene expression. These provide molecular mechanisms underpinning phenotypic plasticity of C. albicans polymorphism.

(1‐aryloxy‐2‐hydroxypropyl)‐phenylpiperazine derivatives suppress Candida albicans virulence by interfering with morphological transition

“…2). As hyphae formation plays a vital role in C. albicans biofilm formation (Lu et al ., 2014; Gulati and Nobile, 2016), the strategies to target morphological transition and biofilm development may be closely interlinked.…”

Regulation of Hyphal Growth and N-Acetylglucosamine Catabolism by Two Transcription Factors in Candida albicans

“…A large set of transcription factors regulates the induction of filamentous growth by hyphal inducers or biofilm-forming conditions, including Efg1, Cph1, Bcr1, Bgr1, Tec1, Ume6, Rim101, Nrg1, and Tup1 (Finkel and Mitchell 2011;Carlisle and Kadosh 2013;Lu et al 2014). Although this suggests it should be possible to identify target genes that stimulate hyphal morphogenesis, this goal has been elusive.…”

Candida albicans morphology: still in focus

“…The yeast-to-hyphal transition (dimorphism) of the most common human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans remains in the focus of molecular and medical mycology [1][2][3][4]. Since our review on 'C.…”

“…Although the regulation of the morphological transition is already well investigated [1][2][3][4]21], multiple new regulatory factors directly or indirectly involved in hyphal formation and new insights into regulatory mechanisms have been reported.…”

“…In contrast to the well-characterized hyphal initiation, the mechanisms of hyphal extension are poorly understood but are in the focus of more recent studies [1]. One of the critical factors for hyphal extension is Eed1, a regulator of Ume6.…”