Enhanced Production of Farnesol by Candida albicans Treated with Four Azoles

Authors

Jacob M. Hornby, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Kenneth Nickerson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

6-1-2004

Comments

Published in ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY, June 2004, p. 2305–2307 Vol. 48, No. 6. Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. Used by permission.

Abstract

The dimorphic fungus Candida albicans excretes farnesol, which is produced enzymatically from the sterol biosynthetic intermediate farnesyl pyrophosphate. Inhibition of C. albicans by four azole antifungals, fluconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and clotrimazole, caused elevated farnesol production (10- to 45-fold). Furthermore, farnesol production occurs in both laboratory strains and clinical isolates (J. M. Hornby et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:2982-2992, 2001) of C. albicans.