Effect of Culture Conditions on the Protein Fibril Expression of Candida albicans

ABSTRACT

Candida albicans is an important human pathogen that causes systemic infections, predominantly among population with weakened immune system. Cell wall structures of C. albicans are important to adhere to host tissue and evade to host immune system. Among cell wall structure, the outermost fibrillar layer of C. albicans is of interest since it may play important roles in antigenicity, phagocytosis, and adherence. The expression of virulent factors could be affected by the growth conditions. The dynamic nature of the cell surface alters the physical properties of the fungal interface with host cells and thereby influences adhesion to the host and recognition by components of the host immune system. In this study, we investigated the effects of culture conditions on cell surface fibril expression of C. albicans by a transmitting electron microscopy and SDS-PAGE. The protein fibril of C. albicans was expressed in the presence of whole serum, however, the fibril expression was decreased in 25% serum and serum containing 1% glucose. Also, germ tube can be induced by serum, RMPI medium, N-acetyl glucosamine, and 39 degrees C culture condition, hence, the fibrillar structure of C. albicans was detected only in serum-induced germ tube. The expression of fibril layer and the major fibril proteins of 66, 47, 30 kDa were reduced as increasing cell concentration of intial inoculum from 2x10(7) cells/ml to 8x10(7) cells/ml. The fibrillar layer of C. albicans was expressed in serum early within 10 min, and the thickness of fibril layer was increased according to the increase of culture time. When the fibrillar proteins were analysed by SDS-PAGE, major protein of 30 kDa was maintained continuously during over night culture although expression of the other proteins were various. These results suggest that expression of serum induced protein fibril is influenced by culture conditions and is not related to hyphal transition of C. albicans.