title: Chlamydospore production and germ-tube formation by auxotrophs of Candida albicans.
abstract: A prototrophic strain and 21 auxotrophic strains of Candida albicans were assessed for their capacity to produce chlamydospores and germ tubes. All of the mutants were able to produce germ-tubes in human serum but only two mutants produced them in defined medium with L-alpha-amino-n-butyric acid as the sole source of nitrogen. Most auxotrophs were not able to produce chlamydospores on corn meal agar with 1% Tween 80, but they could be induced to do so if the medium was supplemented with their growth requirement(s). Although L-cysteine was able to support the growth of two methionine mutants, it did not support chlamydospore formation when added to corn meal agar with 1% Tween 80. Mutants of C. albicans that do not form chlamydospores could be incorrectly identified in laboratories that rely on chlamydospore formation for identification.
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000378:metabolism; D000362:Agar; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000613:Aminobutyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D006147:Guanine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D013170:Spores / Q000254:growth & development*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000613:Aminobutyrates; D003470:Culture Media; D007106:Immune Sera; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D006147:Guanine; D000362:Agar; D008715:Methionine; D000225:Adenine; D003545:Cysteine