Production of secreted aspartic proteinases by pathogenic yeasts.

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biological and Medical Sciences Candidate: Andrea Šlajchová Supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Vladimír Buchta, CSc. Title of diploma thesis: Production of secreted aspartic proteinases by pathogenic yeasts The objective of this thesis was to identify the effect of farnesol as a quorum sensing molecule, which facilitates intracellular communication of Candida albicans, on the production of secreted aspartic proteinases (Sap). The theoretical section summarizes the morphology of Candida, the virulence factors, the illnessess cause by Candida and its treatment. A separate chapter focuses on secreted aspartic proteinases and on farnesol. The strains tested came from clinical isolates belonging to the Clinical Microbiology Institute of FN Hradec Kralove; two further strains were collected as well (10231 and 25188). The ATCC 10231 strain, which did not show farnesol production but the production of farnesol acid, was included in the test. Special media contained a source of bovine hemoglobin as the only source of nitrogen and had differing pHs. The strains were first pre-incubated to exogenous farnesol and later transfered to test media at various different concentrations of farnesol. The results were read after seven days of..