A WHOLE-CELL CANDIDA-ALBICANS ASSAY FOR THE DETECTION OF INHIBITORS TOWARDS FUNGAL CELL-WALL SYNTHESIS AND ASSEMBLY

A whole-cell C. albicans screen was designed to identify novel inhibit ors interacting with the synthesis, assembly and regulation of the fun gal cell wall. C. albicans was grown in a paired broth assay in 96-wel l plates with natural product extracts or pure chemical compounds in t he presence and absence of the osmotic stabilizer, sorbitol. Growth wa s visually examined over a 7-day period and scored into different grow th categories. Positives from the sorbitol rescue were then examined u nder the microscope for morphological alterations and grouped into sev eral morphological classes. Sorbitol protection and cell morphology we re indicators of novel antifungal agents from natural product extracts and pure compounds.