Temporal analyses of the effect of arachidonic acid on transcriptional responses of Candida albicans biofilms

Identification of Candida albicans genes differentially expressed in the presence of arachidonic acid Although Candida species, more specifically C. albicans, are the most common pathogenic yeasts, little is known about the mechanism involved in eicosanoid production, a virulence factor in these organisms. This is an important area of research which may aid in the understanding of the complex interactions between host and pathogen and may possibly lead to the identification of novel antifungals or drug targets. In this study, genomic hybridization studies using C. albicans DNA microarrays were used to evaluate the regulation of C. albicans biofilm genes during incubation in the presence of arachidonic acid, the major precursor for prostaglandin E2 production. The results obtained indicated that the genes differentially expressed had diverse functions not normally required for cell growth. Two-condition experiment, Control biofilms vs. Arachidonic acid treated biofilms at different time intervals. Biological replicates: 3 Control, 3 Arachidonic acid treated, independently grown and harvested. Technical replicate: dye swap included. Triplicate per array.