Ethanol tolerance and the induction of stress proteins by ethanol in Candida albicans

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA ABSTRACT SUMMARY: Ethanol is one of the products of the metabolism of glucose by Candida albicans. The amount produced is directly related to the concentration of glucose in the medium. The fungus utilizes ethanol as a sole source of carbon but is relatively intolerant of ethanol in its environment. Ethanol induces germ tube formation by blastoconidia of C. albicans. Germination was not seen under fermentation conditions even though the amount of ethanol produced was in the range that induced germ tubes when added to phosphate buffer. Ethanol also induces C. albicans to form stress proteins that are similar to heat shock proteins. The possibility that stress proteins may regulate germ tube formation by C. albicans is discussed. Permanent address: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, West Africa.