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Full-Text Articles in Fungi
Signal Transduction And Transcriptional Regulation Pathways Essential For Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Erin M. Vasicek
Signal Transduction And Transcriptional Regulation Pathways Essential For Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Erin M. Vasicek
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
Candida albicans is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen, found as a commensal organism in the mucosa, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts of humans. This pathogenic fungus causes a wide spectrum of diseases, including the mucosal infection oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) which frequently effects patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The azole antifungals (such as fluconazole) are the most widely used and important ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors (EBIs) for the treatment of Candida infections, including OPC. However, the azoles are fungistatic against C. albicans and therefore have limited efficacy against this organism, especially for immunocompromised patients. In C. albicans, the transcription factor Upc2 …
Erg11-Mediated Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Stephanie Ann Flowers
Erg11-Mediated Azole Resistance In Candida Albicans, Stephanie Ann Flowers
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
Although many medically important Candida species are commensal to the gut or colonizers of the skin, these organisms have the propensity to cause disease in the event of a waning immune system. Clinical manifestations of infections with Candida species can range from superficial mucosal infections to deep organ involvement usually resulting from haematogenous spread of infection. Despite significant progress made in the management of patients with fungal infections, the emergence of antifungal resistant clinical isolates creates significant problem in regards to antifungal prophylaxis and empirical treatment strategies. Antifungal resistance is associated with high mortality rates and hefty medical costs. The …
Development Of Novel Antifungal Peptides Based On A Natural Model Of Histatin-5 Peptide, Duy Tu Nguyen
Development Of Novel Antifungal Peptides Based On A Natural Model Of Histatin-5 Peptide, Duy Tu Nguyen
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Our research group is working toward the development of novel antifungal peptides based on a natural model of peptide histatin-5. Histatin-5 is found in human saliva and known to protect our body against oral infections by Candida species. Candidiasis, or an infection caused by Candida species, is considered one of the most medically important fungal infections worldwide. Blood stream infections caused by Candida species are the fourth leading cause of hospital-acquired fungal infections that is associated with high mortality rates and high costs of treatment. This study investigated the modes of action of histatin-5 with the use of one 16-mer …
Novel Inducers Of Gliotoxin Production In Aspergillus Fumigatus, Taylor J. Schoberle
Novel Inducers Of Gliotoxin Production In Aspergillus Fumigatus, Taylor J. Schoberle
Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)
Secondary metabolites are produced by numerous organisms and can either be benign to humans or harmful. Genes involved in the synthesis and transport of these secondary metabolites are frequently found in gene clusters, which are often located in subtelomeric regions of the chromosome. These clusters are often coordinately regulated, being almost exclusively dependent on transcription factors that are located within the clusters themselves. Secondary metabolites are also regulated by a variety of factors, including nutritional factors, environmental factors and developmental processes. Gliotoxin, which is produced by a variety of Aspergillus species, Trichoderma species, and Penicillium species, exhibits immunosuppressive properties and …