Identification of SOK1-dependent transcriptome changes under anaerobic conditions in the yeast Candida albicans

Dietary components influence microbial composition in the digestive tract. Although often viewed as energy sources, dietary components are likely to shape microbial determinants of intestinal colonization beyond metabolism. Here, we report that a dietary long-chain fatty acid enhances the yeast Candida albicans colonization of the murine gut partly by eliciting modifications to the fungal cell surface. Mice fed an oleic acid-rich diet were readily colonized by C. albicans and exhibited higher fungal load in feces compared to rodents fed an isocaloric control diet. Surprisingly, β-oxidation, a catabolic process to break down fatty acids for energy production, was dispensable for C. albicans to colonize the high-oleic acid diet-fed mice. We identified SOK1 as an oleic acid-induced kinase. RNA-Seq was employed to identify SOK1-dependent transcriptome changes. We found that SOK1 influences multiple cellular functions and components in C. albicans, including oxidoreductase activity, metabolism, and cell periphery. Comparison of the transcriptome of the two Candida albicans strains SC5314 (= WT) and JCP_1525 (Δsok1) in YNB with final concentration of 0.2% oleic acid (OE). The strains were grown anerobically at 30°C for 24 hours. RNA purification was performed from cells harvested from liquid cultures. Directional mRNA library preparation (with poly A enrichment) and sequencing using NovaSeq PE150 mode was executed at Novogene Corporation Inc.