Candida albicans adheres to chitin by recognizing N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)

Abstract

The bindine of Candida albicans cells to chitin was examined in a cell-bindine assay. Microscopic observations indicated that both livine and heat-killed Candida cells bound to chitin-coated substrates. C. albicans preferentially bound to chitin-coated plastic plates over chitosan-coated and uncoated plates. We prepared125I-labeled Candida cells for quantitative analysis of their bindine to chitin. Heatkilled125I-labeled Candida cells bound to chitin-coated plates in a time-dependent manner until 1.5hours after start of incubation at 4°C. The bindine of125I-labeled Candida cells to chitin-coated plates was inhibited by addine unlabeled livine or unlabeled heat-killed Candida cells. The bindine of Candida to chitin was also reduced by addition of 25me/ml chitin or chitosan up to 10%. N-acetylelucosamine (GlcNAc), which is a constituent of chitin, inhibited bindine of Candida to chitin in a dose-dependent manner between 12.5and 200 mM. Glucosamine, which is a constituent of chitosan, showed no such inhibitory effect. These findines sueeest that the bindine of Candida to chitin may be mediated by recoenition of GlcNAc.