title: Anticandidal action of fungal chitosan against Candida albicans.
abstract: The anticandidal activity of four fungal chitosan types, produced from Mucor rouxii DSM-1191, against three Candida albicans strains was determined. The most bioactive chitosan type, to inhibit C. albicans growth, had the lowest molecular weight (32 kDa) and the highest deacetylation degree (94%). Water soluble types had stronger anticandidal activity than soluble types in 1% acetic acid solution. Scanning electron micrographs of treated C. albicans with fungal chitosan proved that chitosan principally interact with yeast cell wall, causing severe swelling and asymmetric rough shapes, and subsequent cell wall lyses with the prolonging of exposure time. Fungal chitosan could be recommended for C. albicans control as a powerful and safe alternative to synthetic and chemical fungicides.
authors.affiliation: Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, Minufiya University, El-Sadat City, Egypt. tayel ahmad@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Tayel
authors.forename: Shaaban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.forename: Wael F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: el-Tras
authors.forename: Dierk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knittel
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Opwis
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schollmeyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002645:Chickens; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009089:Mucor / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D048271:Chitosan