Title:

Journey into C. albicans Biofilms: Proteomic and functional genomic approaches to uncovering mechanisms of adherence

Advisor: Cowen, Leah E
Issue Date: Jun-2016
Abstract (summary): Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal human pathogen that naturally forms biofilms, which are a community of yeast and filamentous cells surrounded by an extracellular matrix. C. albicans biofilms form in sequential steps: adhesion, filamentation, maturation and dispersion. To investigate mechanisms of biofilm formation, we conducted a mass spectrometry analysis of biofilm and planktonic proteomes. In parallel, we screened a barcoded tetracycline repressible strain library for reduced adherence. The depletion or deletion of biofilm enriched proteins did not affect biofilm formation. However, the degree of adherence is correlated with biofilm formation. Following up on Arp2/3 complex mutants, we found that its adherence deficiency is a result of Rho1 compensation of reduced Arp2/3 mediated endocytosis.
Content Type: Thesis

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