Study of interactions of quorum sensing with yeasts I.

Author: Jitka Macková Title: Study of interactions of quorum sensing with yeasts. Part I Diploma thesis Charles University in Prague, Faculty Of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Study programme: Pharmacy Background: The aim of the work is to sum up findings about quorum sensing in Candida albicans communication. The quorum sensing effects were studied on farnesol on model of conversion of blastospores into germ tubes in C. albicans. Methods: Four strains of C. albicans were tested, two of them were from American Type Culture Collection and two were obtained from the pacients suffering from vulvovaginal candidosis. The method of germ tube test was standardized to evaluate the farnesol effects on germ tube induction including the possibility for testing effects of preincubation in presence or absence of farnesol. Results: There was no significant difference in the production of germ tubes between Sabouraud glucose agar and YPD medium used for the preparation of inoculum. The chemically defined medium NYP provided more consistent results than bovine serum in terms of germ tube induction if the cell density of a yeast was 106 cfu/ml. It is better to hold experiments in test tubes made of glass than plastic. Experiments with farnesol showed that germ tube inhibition was strain-dependent. Preincubation with..