<i>In Situ</i> Imaging of Candida albicans Hyphal Growth via Atomic Force Microscopy
Arzu Çolak, Mélanie A. C. Ikeh, Clarissa J. Nobile, Mehmet Z. Baykara
Abstract
Candida albicans is one of the most common pathogens of humans. One important virulence factor of C. albicans is its ability to form elongated hyphae that can invade host tissues and cause disseminated infections. Here, we show the effect of different physiologically relevant temperatures and common antifungal drugs on the growth and mechanical properties of C. albicans hyphae using atomic force microscopy. We demonstrate that minor temperature fluctuations within the normal range can have profound effects on hyphal cell growth and that different antifungal drugs impact hyphal cell stiffness and adhesion in different ways.
Topics & Concepts
Candida albicansHyphaCorpus albicansMicrobiologyAtomic force microscopyVirulenceAntifungalAdhesionBiophysicsChemistryUltrastructureBiologyCell biologyNanotechnologyMaterials scienceBiochemistryAnatomyGeneOrganic chemistryAntifungal resistance and susceptibilityBacterial biofilms and quorum sensingthermodynamics and calorimetric analyses