Scanning electron microscopy as a tool for the analysis of colony architecture produced by phenotypic switching of a human pathogenic yeast Candida tropicalis

Candida tropicalis has been identified as one of the most prevalent pathogenic yeast species of the Candida-non-albicans group. Phenotypic switching is a biological phenomenon related to the occurrence of spontaneous emergence of colonies with different morphologies that provides variability within...

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Published inJournal of physics. Conference series Vol. 371; no. 1; pp. 1 - 4
Main Authors Furlaneto, M C, Andrade, C G T J, Aragao, P H A, Franca, E J G, Moralez, A T P, Ferreira, L C S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol IOP Publishing 01.01.2012
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Summary:Candida tropicalis has been identified as one of the most prevalent pathogenic yeast species of the Candida-non-albicans group. Phenotypic switching is a biological phenomenon related to the occurrence of spontaneous emergence of colonies with different morphologies that provides variability within colonizing populations in order to adapt to different environments. Currently, studies of the microstructure of switching variant colonies are not subject of extensive research. SEM analysis was used to verity the architecture of whole Candida colonies. The strain 49/07 exhibited a hemispherical shape character, while the strain 335/07 showed a volcano shape with mycelated-edge colony. The ring switch variant is characterized by a highly wrinkled centre and an irregular periphery. The rough phenotype exhibited a three-dimensional architecture and was characterized by the presence of deep central and peripheral depressions areas. The ultrastructural analysis also allowed the observation of the arrangement of individual cells within the colonies. The whole smooth colony consisted entirely of yeast cells. Differently, aerial filaments were found all around the colony periphery of the volcano shape colony. For this colony type the mycelated-edge consisted mainly of hyphae, although yeast cells are also seen. The ring and rough colonies phenotypes comprised mainly yeast cells with the presence of extracellular material connecting neighbouring cells. This study has shown that SEM can be used effectively to examine the microarchitecture of colonies morphotypes of the yeast C. tropicalis and further our understanding of switching event in this pathogen.
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ISSN:1742-6596
1742-6588
1742-6596
DOI:10.1088/1742-6596/371/1/012022