MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Candida albicans Goliath cells pioneer biofilm formation

Summary

When Candida albicans fungi run out of zinc, they transform into larger cells called ‘Goliath cells’ that are exceptionally sticky to plastic surfaces. Scientists found that these Goliath cells are much better at sticking to catheters and other medical devices than regular yeast cells, even when blood is flowing past them. This discovery helps explain why fungal infections on catheters are so common and could lead to better ways to prevent these dangerous infections that affect hospitalized patients.

Background

Candida albicans is a fungal pathogen capable of causing life-threatening bloodstream infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Indwelling medical devices such as catheters play a critical role in disease progression, as C. albicans can colonize these devices and form biofilms that seed the bloodstream. Under zinc-restricted conditions, C. albicans forms enlarged Goliath cells, which have previously been shown to exhibit enhanced adhesion to plastic surfaces.

Objective

This study investigated whether Goliath cells possess unique pathogenic properties that make them particularly suited for colonizing indwelling medical devices like catheters within the circulatory system. The research examined Goliath cell adhesion to host tissues and abiotic surfaces under both static and physiologically relevant shear stress conditions.

Results

Goliath cells demonstrated significantly enhanced adhesion to oral and vaginal epithelial cells compared with yeast cells, and exhibited preferential adhesion to plastic over host tissues. Under simulated blood flow conditions, yeast cells showed negligible adhesion to plastic surfaces, while Goliath cells maintained robust attachment even under supraphysiological shear stress. Biofilms seeded by Goliath cells were more metabolically active and structurally denser, with Goliath cells serving as adhesive ‘pioneer’ cells anchoring biofilms to abiotic surfaces.

Conclusion

Goliath cells represent a specialized morphotype uniquely suited to colonize and form biofilms on indwelling medical devices due to their enhanced adhesion to plastic surfaces, increased cell surface hydrophobicity, and ability to maintain attachment under physiological shear stress conditions. These findings provide insights into Goliath cells’ potential role in catheter-associated candidiasis and suggest new targets for preventing device-related C. albicans infections.
  • Published in:mBio,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: 10.1128/mbio.03425-24
Scroll to Top