Disarming A Transformer Fungus

Fungi are some of the most important microbes on Earth. Fungi are very different from bacteria—their cells look more like animal or plant cells. Most fungi play important roles in nature and do not cause disease to humans, but the ones that do cause disease are very difficult to get rid of. Antibiotics that can kill fungi are known as antifungals. Very often, these drugs eventually stop working because fungi can become resistant to them! Fungi also form biofilms, which are communities of cells living together, surrounded by a protective shield. The fungus Candida albicans does not usually cause disease, but sometimes it can change shape from an oval cell known as a yeast, to a long cell called hyphae, which helps C. albicans invade and damage organs and form strong biofilms. Here, we explain a new strategy to stop C. albicans from causing disease, by stopping its shape shifting!