The Transcriptional Landscape of Candida albicans Under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions

Candida albicans is a clinically significant fungal pathogen capable of adapting to diverse environments within a host, including steep oxygen gradients ranging from normoxic (~21% oxygen) to anoxic. The ability to withstand varied oxygen levels is paramount to establishing colonization and persisting in host niches, and oxygen deprivation can augment antifungal resistance . However, despite the relevance of the truly anaerobic environment in understanding C. albicans host adaptation, there are no studies to date that have examined the transcriptional shifts that take place. In this study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to compare the global transcriptomic profiles of C. albicans SC5314 grown purely anaerobically to those grown aerobically. Our study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms that facilitate C. albicans survival in anoxic environments, with the potential to guide therapeutic strategies to overcome antifungal resistance.