Cellular altruism
Immune defense against Candida Infections: Publication in Nature Microbiology
Candida albicans forms filaments on epithelial cells that help the fungus attach and cause infections.
Infections caused by yeasts of the genus Candida trigger an immune response that was previously known only in the defense against viruses, bacteria or parasites. A research team from Jena including the lab of Prof. Dr. Bernhard Hube (Project C1) and Barcelona identified a mechanism involving mitochondrial DNA signaling that could help treat the infection, as the scientists report in the journal Nature Microbiology.
Original publication
Pekmezovic M, Hovhannisyan H, Gresnigt MS, Iracane E, Oliveira-Pacheco J, Siscar-Lewin S, Seemann E, Qualmann B, Kalkreuter T, Müller S, Kamradt T, Mogavero S, Brunke S, Butler G, Gabaldón T, Hube B (2021) Candida pathogens induce protective mitochondria-associated type I interferon signalling and a damage-driven response in vaginal epithelial cells. Nature Microbiology