Yeast Candida Albicans (yeast + candida_albican)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Adaptive tolerance to oxidative stress and the induction of antioxidant enzymatic activities in Candida albicans are independent of the Hog1 and Cap1-mediated pathways

FEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 6 2010
Pilar Gónzalez-Párraga
Abstract In the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, the MAP-kinase Hog1 mediates an essential protective role against oxidative stress, a feature shared with the transcription factor Cap1. We analysed the adaptive oxidative response of strains with both elements altered. Pretreatment with gentle doses of oxidants or thermal upshifts (28,37 and 37,42 °C) improved survival in the face of high concentrations of oxidants (50 mM H2O2 or 40 mM menadione), pointing to a functional cross-protective mechanism in the mutants. The oxidative challenge promoted a marked intracellular synthesis of trehalose, although hog1 (but not cap1) cells always displayed high basal trehalose levels. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced mRNA expression of the trehalose biosynthetic genes (TPS1 and TPS2) in the tested strains. Furthermore, oxidative stress also triggered a differential activation of various antioxidant activities, whose intensity was greater after HOG1 and CAP1 deletion. The pattern of activity was dependent on the oxidant dosage applied: low concentrations of H2O2 (0.5,5 mM) clearly induced catalase and glutathione reductase (GR), whereas drastic H2O2 exposure (50 mM) increased Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) isozyme-mediated SOD activity. These results firmly support the existence in C. albicans of both Hog1- and Cap1-independent mechanisms against oxidative stress. [source]


Comparative study on the antimicrobial activities of different sandalwood essential oils of various origin

FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2006
Leopold Jirovetz
Abstract In total, eight samples of different sandalwoods [Amyris balsamifera L., Santalum album L. and Santalum spicatum (R.Br.) A.DC.] and a mixture of , - and , -santalols, as well as eugenol as reference compound, were tested by an agar dilution and agar diffusion method for their antimicrobial activities against the yeast Candida albicans, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The main compounds of each essential oil were investigated by gas chromatographic,spectroscopic (GC-FID and GC,MS) and ,olfactory methods to obtain information about the inßuence of these volatiles on the observed antimicrobial effects. For the santalol mixture, as well as for one S. album and one S. spicatum sample with moderate concentrations of santalols, antimicrobial activity was found against all the strains used. The A. balsamifera sample, containing only a small quantity of , -santalol and nearly no , -santalol, showed high effects only against Klebsiella pneumoniae, while against the other strains weak or no activity was observed. Therefore, santalols in medium and/or high concentrations in sandalwood oils show a significant inßuence on antimicrobial potential in such natural products. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Functional analysis of four Gloverin -like genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2008
Shinpei Kawaoka
Abstract To identify genes involved in the innate immunity of the silkworm Bombyx mori, we constructed a cDNA library from the fat body of Escherichia coli -challenged B. mori larvae. Based on the expressed sequence tag (EST) data and whole genome shotgun sequence analysis, we found four Gloverin -like genes, BmGlov1,4, in the Bombyx genome. Northern blot and RT,PCR analysis showed that BmGlov1,4 were induced in the larval fat body after an immune challenge by the injection of E. coli; however, less induction was observed after the injection of a yeast Candida albicans. In silico sequence analysis revealed the presence of a motif homologous to NF-,B binding site in the upstream region of each BmGlov gene. Moreover, we expressed recombinant BmGlov1,4 proteins using the baculovirus expression system, and found that all the recombinant BmGlov1,4 significantly inhibited the growth of E. coli. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Antimicrobial peptides from the skin of the Japanese mountain brown frog, Rana ornativentris

CHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN, Issue 5 2001
J.B. Kim
Abstract: Six peptides with antimicrobial activity were isolated from an extract of freeze-dried skin of the Japanese mountain brown frog Rana ornativentris. Two structurally related peptides (brevinin-20a GLFNVFKGALKTAGKHVAGSLLNQLKCKVSGGC, 11 nmol/g dried tissue, and brevinin-20b GIFNVFKGALKTAGKHVAGSLLNQLKCKVSGEC, 170 nmol/g) belong to the brevinin-2 family, previously identified in Asian and European, but not North American, Ranid frogs. Four peptides (temporin-1Oa FLPLLASLFSRLL.NH2, 13 nmol/g; temporin-1Ob FLPLIGKILGTI L.NH2, 350 nmol/g; temporin-1Oc FLPLLASLFSRLF.NH2, 14 nmol/g; and temporin-1Od FLPLLASLFSGLF.NH2, 8 nmol/g) are members of the temporin family first identified in the European common frog Rana temporaria but also found in the skins of North American Ranids. The brevinin-2 peptides showed broad-spectrum activity against the gram-positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, the gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli and the yeast Candida albicans, whereas the temporins showed potent activity only against S. aureus. The brevinins and temporins belong to the class of cationic antimicrobial peptides that adopt an amphipathic ,-helical conformation but it is significant that temporin-1Od, which lacks a basic amino acid residue, is still active against S. aureus (minimum inhibitory concentration=13 µm compared with 2 µm for temporin-1Oa). This suggests that strong electrostatic interaction between the peptide and the negatively charged phospholipids of the cell membrane is not an absolute prerequisite for antimicrobial activity. [source]