mBio. 2023 Nov 30:e0249323. doi: 10.1128/mbio.02493-23
A live-cell ergosterol reporter for visualization of the effects of fluconazole on the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans
Antonio Serrano1, Miguel A Basante-Bedoya1, Martine Bassilana1, Robert A Arkowitz1
Affiliations
1Université Côte d’Azur, INSERM, CNRS, iBV, Nice, France
Abstract
Ergosterol is a critical membrane lipid in fungi. In Candida albicans, this essential plasma membrane amphipathic lipid is important for interactions with host cells, in particular, host immune responses. Here, we use a live-cell reporter for specifically visualizing ergosterol and show that apical enrichment of this sterol is not critical for budding and filamentous growth in this human fungal pathogen. Our results highlight that this live-cell reporter is likely to be a useful tool in the analyses of azole resistance and tolerance mechanisms, including alterations in drug targets and upregulation of efflux activities.