Differences in amino acid transport and phospholipid contents during the cell cycle of Candida albicans

Abstract

Drugs like L-ethionine, 1,10-phenanthroline and 3-(2-thienyl)-DL-alanine which arrest Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in the G₁ phase, were unable to arrest Candida albicans cells. However, C. albicans could be arrested in G₁ after a prolonged stationary phase. As compared to normal cells, there was a selective reduction in the level of accumulation of valine and glutamate in G₁-arrested cells, while the phospholipid polar head group ratio was not significantly altered. When G₁-arrested C. albicans cells were again allowed to grow, the level of different phospholipids started increasing at about the time of bud emergence (2.5 h) whereas reduced levels of accumulated valine and glutamate recovered within 1 h. The recovery of phospholipids and amino acid transport are two distinct events during the progression of G. albicans cells from G₁ to S phase.