Candida albicans: Pathogenesis and Secretory Pathways

Abstract

Candida albicans is a member of the human host’s microbiome composition; therefore, it is recognized as a portion of the human host body’s normal flora in a homeostasis condition. However, when the host develops an abnormal condition, e.g., immune deficiency, C. albicans acts as an opportunistic pathogen. C. albicans has an effective arsenal of a wide range of virulence factors. Due to this knowledge, the enzymes construct a significant portion of substantial fungal virulence factors, which are made of proteins and play an essential role in fungal invasion, fungal-hyphal growth, and biofilm formation. An active secreted protein should be processed via the fungal secretion system, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and/or Golgi apparatus (GA). In other words, an active protein that acts as a fungal virulence factor should undergo several vital and pivotal maturation processes, including glycosylation and folding. In this chapter, we have a rigorous look at these processes, which directly determine the pathogenesis of C. albicans.