Fungal dimorphism: the switch from hyphae to yeast is a specialized morphogenetic adaptation allowing colonization of a host

The ability of pathogenic fungi to switch between a multicellular hyphal and unicellular yeast growth form is a tightly regulated process known as dimorphic switching. Dimorphic switching requires the fungus to sense and respond to the host environment and is essential for pathogenicity. This review...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS microbiology reviews 2015-11, Vol.39 (6), p.797-811
Main Authors: Boyce, Kylie J., Andrianopoulos, Alex
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Physiological
Calcium
Colonization
Dimorphism
Fungi
Fungi - physiology
Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Hyphae
Hyphae - physiology
Infections
Pathogenicity
Pathogens
Perfect state
Phylogeny
Signal Transduction
Switching
Transcription
Yeast
Yeasts
Yeasts - physiology
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Summary:The ability of pathogenic fungi to switch between a multicellular hyphal and unicellular yeast growth form is a tightly regulated process known as dimorphic switching. Dimorphic switching requires the fungus to sense and respond to the host environment and is essential for pathogenicity. This review will focus on the role of dimorphism in fungi commonly called thermally dimorphic fungi, which switch to a yeast growth form during infection. This group of phylogenetically diverse ascomycetes includes Talaromyces marneffei (recently renamed from Penicillium marneffei), Blastomyces dermatitidis (teleomorph Ajellomyces dermatitidis), Coccidioides species (C. immitis and C. posadasii), Histoplasma capsulatum (teleomorph Ajellomyces capsulatum), Paracoccidioides species (P. brasiliensis and P. lutzii) and Sporothrix schenckii (teleomorph Ophiostoma schenckii). This review will explore both the signalling pathways regulating the morphological transition and the transcriptional responses necessary for intracellular growth. The physiological requirements of yeast cells during infection will also be discussed, highlighting recent advances in the understanding of the role of iron and calcium acquisition during infection. Fungi generate a variety of cellular morphologies to facilitate colonization of new environmental niches. Many pathogenic fungi switch from a multi-cellular to a unicellular growth form during infection and this permits adaptation to unique environmental niches within the host.
ISSN:1574-6976
0168-6445
1574-6976
DOI:10.1093/femsre/fuv035