EXTRACELLULAR ENZYMES IN THE DIFFERENT PHENOTYPES OF CANDIDA ALBICANS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES

Background: Phenotype switching in Candida albicans has closely correlated with its pathogenicity. This phenomenon spontaneously occurs at very low frequency in environment. The ability phenotype switching in C. albicans is inherit, reversible and effected by a number of environmental factors including; temperature, pH, and the composition of the supporting medium. The phenotype switching phenomenon can effect on the increasing of adherence and enzyme secretion. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare the ability to the secretion of extracellular enzymes in phenotypic variants of C. albicans isolated from different sources. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 93 isolates of C. albicans from different sources were inoculated on Phloxin B agar plates and incubated at 37°C for 5 days. Phospholipase, hemolysin, proteinase, phytase and esterase activities were also demonstrated using Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) supplemented with egg yolk, SDA supplemented with 3% glucose and 5% sheep blood, SDA with Bovine albumin serum, agar plate with calcium salt of phytic acid as the sole phosphorus source and SDA with tween 80, respectively. Results: In the present study six phenotypes by change in shape and 11 different phenotypes in the apparent color of the colonies were observed. Detectable amounts of phospholipase, hemolysin, proteinase, phytase and esterase were respectively produced in 91%, 94%, 88%, 74% and 86% of different phenotypes of C. albicans isolates. Conclusions: Our results showed that fuzzy phenotype was only detected in oral cavity strains and red colonies phenotype in stains isolated from vagina of healthy individual. Majority of phenotypes exhibited high levels of phospholipase, hemolysin, proteinase, phytase and esterase activities and few isolates don’t showed enzymes activity.

Extracellular Enzymes, Phenotype Switching, Candida Albicans.