Introduction to the Project: The Role of Endocytosis in Regulating Cell Wall Composition in Candida Albicans
Background Candida Albicans (C. albicans) C. albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen, which causes various types of Candidiasis depending on the anatomical site of disease manifestation. It is perhaps most readily associated with thrush, which occurs in the throat and vagina. Both in vitro and in vivo, Candida are capable of growing in a variety of morphogenic forms, namely yeast, pseudohyphae and true hyphae. These forms can be selectively induced by particular experimental conditions; for example, growing C. albicans at 28 o C and 37 o C induces yeast and true hyphal forms, respectively. Pseudohyphal, Yeast, and True Hyphal Forms of Candida albicans . Source: Sudbery, 2011 Endocytosis, AP-2 and Polarised Growth Yeast budding and hyphal growth are highly polarised events, that are co-ordinated in-part by the regulation of cell surface composition via endocytosis (membrane internalisation) and exocytosis (secretion). Both processes are highly complex