title: Phenotypes of Candida albicans sterol mutants deficient in delta 8,7-isomerization or 5-desaturation.
abstract: Two Candida albicans sterol mutants deficient in delta 8,7-isomerization and 5-desaturation, respectively, were studied in relation to those phenotypes associated with the 14 alpha-demethylation deficiency, i.e. repression of hypha formation, inability to grow with non-fermentable substrates, and increased sensitivity to nonpolyene-nonazole chemicals. It was found that the delta 8,7-isomerization deficiency, resulting in the accumulation of delta 8 sterols (mostly delta 24(28) or delta 5,22), was associated with severe reduction in hyphal growth and utilization of non-fermentable substrates. These cellular activities were reduced only slightly when 5-desaturation was deficient, causing the accumulation of delta 7 sterols. On the other hand, both the isomerization and desaturation deficiencies were accompanied by multiple increases in drug sensitivity which were small in magnitude compared with those associated with the 14 alpha-demethylation deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakyama
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007536:Isomerism; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D013261:Sterols / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013261:Sterols