| Title: | Mating in Candida albicans and the search for a sexual cycle |
| Address: | "Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA. rjb1@itsa.ucsf.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1146/annurev.micro.59.030804.121310 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0066-4227 (Print) 0066-4227 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Candida albicans is a normal part of the human microflora, but it is also an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes both mucosal infections and life-threatening systemic infections. Until recently, C. albicans was thought to be asexual, existing only as an obligate diploid. However, a mating locus was identified that was homologous to those in sexually reproducing fungi, and mating of C. albicans strains was subsequently demonstrated in the laboratory. In this review, we compare and contrast the mating process in C. albicans with that of other fungi, particularly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whose mating has been most intensively studied. Several features of the mating pathway appear unique to C. albicans, including aspects of gene regulation and cell biology, as well as the involvement of 'white-opaque' switching, an alteration between two quasi-stable inheritable states. These specializations of the mating process may have evolved to promote the survival of C. albicans in the hostile environment of a mammalian host" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Candida albicans/*genetics/*physiology Fungal Proteins/genetics/*metabolism *Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal *Genes, Mating Type, Fungal Humans Phenotype Pheromones/genetics/metabolism;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineBennett, R J Johnson, A D eng R01 AI059401/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 AI49187/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review 2005/05/25 Annu Rev Microbiol. 2005; 59:233-55. doi: 10.1146/annurev.micro.59.030804.121310" |
