Hyphae-yeast transition induced by gladiolin

Mechanistically, gladiolin reprograms fungal metabolism, whereby glycolysis and ergosterol biosynthesis are up-regulated. Consequently, in the presence of gladiolin C. albicans depletes glucose more rapidly and increases ergosterol content in membranes. Building on these findings, we show that glycolysis is critical for maintaining the hyphal state.

Furthermore, glucose depletion constitutes the metabolic signal for the hyphae-to-yeast transition by acting on the Ras-PKA pathway. We characterised the transcriptional programs that regulate the hyphae-to-yeast transition by balancing carbon and lipid metabolism, and propose that glycolysis provides acetyl-CoA for the biosynthesis of ergosterol to sustain membrane biogenesis during hyphal elongation. We conclude that, within fungal growth niches, changing nutritional environments and dynamic regulation of fungal metabolism control the reversible transition between hyphae and yeast and determine cell type.