Phosphate-dependent filamentation and lethality for <i>C. albicans</i> strains isolated from the stool of critically ill patients (ICU) compared to prototypic strains.

<p>(A, A’) morphological changes in (A) ICU and (A’) prototypic strains on high (25 mM) and low (<0.1 mM) phosphate-supplemented solid PNMC media. Filaments are indicated by arrows. (B, B’) <i>C. elegans</i> killing assay. Kaplan-Meyer survival curves of <i>C. elegans</i> demonstrating the effect of phosphate supplementation on the lethal effect of <i>C. albicans</i>. Dark dotted line, PNMC, 25 mM Pi; light dotted line, PNMC, <0.1mM Pi. (C, C’) Mortality of <i>C. elegans</i> due to avoidance behavior of <i>C. albicans</i>. ▪ PNMC, 25 mM Pi; □ PNMC, <0.1mM Pi. n = 5 worms/plate, 7 plates/experiment, 2-3 independent experiments for each <i>C. albicans</i> strain. Significant differences in survival (B) of <i>C. elegans</i> were demonstrated for <i>C. albicans</i> ICU1 (p<0.01), significant differences in mortality due to avoidance behavior (C) were demonstrated for <i>C. albicans</i> ICU1 and ICU12 (*p<0.01). (D, D’) Mouse model. Kaplan-Meyer survival curves demonstrating the effect of phosphate supplementation on the lethal effect of (D) ICU and (D’) prototypic strains of <i>C. albicans</i>. Black solid line, control (sham operated) mice; light dotted line, mice subjected to 30% hepatectomy; light solid line, mice subjected to 30% hepatectomy and drinking phosphate solution. n = 10 mice/group. p<0.01 for strains ICU1, ICU12, and SC5314.