Commensal colonization of Candida albicans in the mouse gastrointestinal tract is mediated via expression of candidalysin and adhesins

Abstract

Candida albicans is an important human fungal pathogen and a ubiquitous colonizer of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, it is not understood how C. albicans persists within the GI tract and from which it may disperse to cause disease. Here, we demonstrated that multiple strains of C. albicans , including the widely used SC5314 strain, robustly colonize the mouse GI tract for at least 2 months. This colonization caused no disruption to the host tissue or bacterial microbiome and was resistant to clearance by antifungal drugs. Importantly, colonization was mediated by proteins expressed by C. albicans that are known to be involved in fungal virulence and unrelated to experimental conditions. Overall, this work identifies mechanisms by which C. albicans persists in the GI tract, enhancing our knowledge of host-fungal interactions during commensal colonization and potentially how to reduce such colonization.