Identifying infection-associated genes of Candida albicans in the postgenomic era.
The human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans can cause an unusually broad range of infections reflecting a remarkable potential to adapt to various microniches within the human host. The exceptional adaptability of C. albicans is mediated by rapid alterations in gene expression in response to various environmental stimuli and this transcriptional flexibility can be monitored with tools such as microarrays. Using such technology it is possible to (1) capture a genome-wide portrait of the transcriptome that mirrors the environmental conditions, (2) identify known genes, signalling pathways and transcription factors involved in pathogenesis, (3) identify new patterns of gene expression and (4) identify previously uncharacterized genes that may be associated with infection. In this review, we describe the molecular dissection of three distinct stages of infections, covering both superficial and invasive disease, using in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo infection models and microarrays.
Wilson
Duncan
D
Department of Microbial Pathogenicity Mechanisms, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knoell-Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, Jena, Germany.
Thewes
Sascha
S
Zakikhany
Katherina
K
Fradin
Chantal
C
Albrecht
Antje
A
Almeida
Ricardo
R
Brunke
Sascha
S
Grosse
Katharina
K
Martin
Ronny
R
Mayer
Francois
F
Leonhardt
Ines
I
Schild
Lydia
L
Seider
Katja
K
Skibbe
Melanie
M
Slesiona
Silvia
S
Waechtler
Betty
B
Jacobsen
Ilse
I
Hube
Bernhard
B
D002176:Candida albicans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors