What is the factor present in serum which promotes Germ Tube Formation in Candida albicans and why ? Is it albumin / serum fraction / optimum Co2 conc. ?
I do not know if this completely answers your question:
Fungal germination means increased biomass, and fungal biomass can only increase if additional nutrients are available. Both elevated temperatures (37oC) and 5% CO2 are known inducers of hyphal growth, but significant germination does not occur in PBS or water even at 37oC and 5% CO2.
Perhaps serum mainly contributes to the increased biomass as a nutrient source?
Article Identification of the dialysable serum inducer of germ-tube ...
They say that glucose is the stimulus in serum, but there will be a number of other stimulating factors.
Bettina Böttcher , only if you have 37oC right? YPD contains glucose and C. albicans doesn't form hyphae in YPD unless you switch to 37oC.
You are right, filamentation is regulated multifactorially and 37°C is for sure a strong inducer. From my experience, YPD at 37°C shouldn't promote filamentation, because 2% glc and other nutrients rather inhibit hyphae formation. According their data from the publication, the concentration-dependent effect of glc is also critical in serum.
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