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PMID: 12399384 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

In Candida albicans, white-opaque switchers are homozygous for mating type.

Genetics ·Vol. 162 ·No. 2 ·2002-10-00 ·Pages 737-45

Lockhart SR, Pujol C, Daniels KJ, Miller MG, Johnson AD, Pfaller MA, Soll DR

Abstract

The relationship between the configuration of the mating type locus (MTL) and white-opaque switching in Candida albicans has been examined. Seven genetically unrelated clinical isolates selected for their capacity to undergo the white-opaque transition all proved to be homozygous at the MTL locus, either MTLa or MTLalpha. In an analysis of the allelism of 220 clinical isolates representing the five major clades of C. albicans, 3.2% were homozygous and 96.8% were heterozygous at the MTL locus. Of the seven identified MTL homozygotes, five underwent the white-opaque transition. Of 20 randomly selected MTL heterozygotes, 18 did not undergo the white-opaque transition. The two that did were found to become MTL homozygous at very high frequency before undergoing white-opaque switching. Our results demonstrate that only MTL homozygotes undergo the white-opaque transition, that MTL heterozygotes that become homozygous at high frequency exist, and that the generation of MTL homozygotes and the white-opaque transition occur in isolates in different genetic clades of C. albicans. Our results demonstrate that mating-competent strains of C. albicans exist naturally in patient populations and suggest that mating may play a role in the genesis of diversity in this pernicious fungal pathogen.

MeSH Terms
Candida albicans/genetics,metabolism Evolution, Molecular Genes, Fungal Genes, Mating Type, Fungal Homozygote Phylogeny
Authors & Affiliations
7 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Lockhart Shawn R
Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
Pujol Claude
Daniels Karla J
Miller Matthew G
Johnson Alexander D
Pfaller Michael A
Soll David R
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Article Info
Journal
Genetics
Abbr.
Genetics
ISSN
0016-6731
DOI
10.1093/genetics/162.2.737
Published
2002-10-00
Pages
737-45
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0374636
PMCID
PMC1462282
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · AI2392 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM-37049 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1093/genetics/162.2.737 PMC Full Text View journal details
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