Date Approved
2024
Graduate Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Biomedical Sciences (M.H.S.)
Degree Program
Biomedical Sciences
First Advisor
Ian Cleary
Second Advisor
Derek Thomas
Third Advisor
Frank Sylvester
Fourth Advisor
Christopher Pearl
Academic Year
2023/2024
Abstract
C. albicans is a resident of the human microbiome. In healthy individuals, it’s a harmless organism. In immunocompromised hosts and certain environments, C. albicans may become harmful. While not fully understood, one way C. albicans may pose a threat is by changing its morphology. C. albicans may exist in yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal morphologic forms. Morphologic changes are under tight genetic control as specific genes are expressed in certain morphologies. C. albicans may modify this genetic regulation in response to spaceflight conditions and adjust its morphologic transitions accordingly. Phenotypic changes in response to a spaceflight environment may have implications for changes to cell adhesion and ultimately biofilm formation. To date, not all genes involved or associated with morphologic changes have been studied. This work examines whether four previously unstudied genes impact filamentation and biofilm formation when individually overexpressed. Collectively, these results support the idea that C. albicans cell morphology is sensitive to environmental conditions and gene overexpression.
ScholarWorks Citation
Cersosimo, Lucas B., "Examination of the role of genes upregulated during space flight on filamentation and biofilm formation of Candida albicans" (2024). Masters Theses. 1128.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/1128
