ABSTRACT
Lipids of Candida albicans have attracted considerable interest because they are the prime target of antifungals. This chapter emphasizes the biosynthesis of the lipids of C. albicans, its mutants defective in lipid biosynthetic pathways, and their lipid composition. M. Pesti and co-workers analyzed the lipid composition of a number of ergosterol mutants, which were initially isolated by the same group by chemical mutagenesis. The phospholipid composition of azole-sensitive strains varied markedly. The C. albicans mutant resistant to C. H. aculeacin A develops cross resistance to other glucan synthase inhibitors. A coordinated regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis has been found in S. cerevisiae. Another series of yeast mutants that require ergosterol for their growth has a defect in heme biosynthesis. The permanent interaction, known as irreversible adhesion, is a specific interaction mediated by the macromolecule on the microbial surface that combines with complementary structures on the epithelial cell surfaces.
