Open AccessMorphological Changes in Yeasts as a Result of the Action of 5-Fluorocytosine
Author(s) -
Tadashi Arai,
Yuzuru Mikami,
Koji Yokoyama,
Tomio Kawata,
Kuniyoshi Masuda
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.12.2.255
Subject(s) - candida albicans , yeast , saccharomyces cerevisiae , cell , cell wall , ultrastructure , corpus albicans , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , incubation , saccharomyces , mode of action , biochemistry , chemistry , anatomy
The mode of action of 5-fluorocytosine on Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was studied with special reference to morphology and ultrastructure. Shortly after contact of yeast cells with 10 mug of 5-fluorocytosine per ml, marked enlargement of the cells occurred. The initial increase in cell size was almost the same with both yeast strains. As incubation proceeded, further increase in cell volume continued with C. albicans, whereas no further change in cell volume was observed with S. cerevisiae. An electron microscope examination of C. albicans cells after exposure to the drug revealed characteristic changes, consisting of an enlarged nucleus and a thin cell wall. The morphological changes were exactly comparable to those reported with inhibitors of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in mammalian cells and some bacteria.