Biofilm Formation by Cryptococcus neoformans Under Distinct Environmental Conditions
| Autor: | Sailatha Ravi, Christopher G. Pierce, Floyd L. Wormley, Colleen M. Witt |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2009 |
| Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Veterinary (miscellaneous) Virulence Environment Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Microbiology Article Immune system Medical microbiology Microbial ecology medicine Cryptococcus neoformans biology Host (biology) Temperature Biofilm Meningoencephalitis Carbon Dioxide Hydrogen-Ion Concentration biochemical phenomena metabolism and nutrition biology.organism_classification medicine.disease Biofilms Microscopy Electron Scanning Agronomy and Crop Science |
| Zdroj: | Mycopathologia. 167:307-314 |
| ISSN: | 1573-0832 0301-486X |
| Popis: | Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with a propensity to infect the central nervous system of immune compromised individuals causing life-threatening meningoencephalitis. Cryptococcal biofilms have been described as a protective niche against microbial predators in nature and shown to enhance resistance against antifungal agents and specific mediators of host immune responses. Based on the potential importance of cryptococcal biofilms to its survival in the human host and in nature, these studies were designed to investigate those factors that mediate biofilm formation by C. neoformans. We observed that C. neoformans preferentially grew as planktonic cells when cultured under specific conditions designed to mimic growth within host tissues (37 degrees C, neutral pH, and ~5% CO(2)) or phagocytes (37 degrees C, acidic pH, and ~5% CO(2)) and as biofilms when cultured under conditions such as those encountered in the external environment (25-37 degrees C, neutral pH, and ambient CO(2)). Altogether, our studies suggest that conditions similar to those observed in its natural habitat may be conducive to biofilm formation by C. neoformans. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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