[Behavior of Candida albicans during a period of nutritional deprivation. Preliminary results].

Abstract

Cells of Candida albicans, after 24 hours of growth in YM, were starved, alternatively, in citrate buffer, physiological solution, MMS deprived of glucose or ammonium sulphate. The eventual growth was monitored by determining the absorbance at 675 nm. Simultaneously, the cell morphology was also controlled. In a second series of experiments, the C. albicans cells taken from YM were starved for 72 hours in one of the mediums as stated above, and then reinoculated in MMS liquid without, alternatively, glucose or ammonium sulphate. Again the eventual growth was monitored as in the above method. The achieved results indicate the presence of a reserve of nitrogen, which can be utilized when a source of C is given to the cell. We therefore discuss the apparent lack of glucidic reserve and we propose a method for the consumption of nitrogen reserve. The aim of the work is to define how to obtain cells that contain the smallest amount possible of endogenous reserve.