Assembly of the Candida albicans genome into sixteen supercontigs aligned on the eight chromosomes

For Assembly 20 of the Candida albicans genome, the sequence of each of the eight chromosomes was determined, revealing new insights into gene family creation and dispersion, subtelomere organization, and chromosome evolution

A Middle Dorset Palaeoeskimo structure at Peat Garden North, northwest Newfoundland

Les sites dorsétiens paléoesquimaux situés sur d'anciennes plages de gravier et de galets présentent des défis exceptionnels lors de l'étude d'habitations préhistoriques le long du littoral. À Peat Garden North, un site du Dorsétien moyen de la Péninsule Great Northern à Terre-Neuve, nous avons interpété un aménagement intégré dans une plage de dolomite comme étant une habitation. Bien que de cette structure il ne reste qu'un oval mal défini fait de galets et de gravier, notre interprétation se base sur sa forme générale, sa taille, ses aménagements intérieurs, la distribution des objets lithiques et des vestiges fauniques, ainsi que des similarités avec d'autres maisons de l'Arctique et du sub-Arctique. En conclusion, nous suggérons que la disposition de cette maison est une fonction de la saison d'occupation du site.Dorset Palaeoeskimo sites on ancient gravel and cobble beaches pose exceptional challenges when researching prehistoric dwellings constructed along coastlines. At Peat Garden North, a Middle Dorset Palaeoeskimo site on Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, a feature embedded in a raised dolomite beach is interpreted as a dwelling. Although all that remains of this structure is a poorly defined oval of arranged beach cobbles and gravel, the argument for this feature as a house is based on overall shape, size, internal features, artifact and faunal distribution, and similarities with other houses in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. In conclusion, we suggest that the layout of this house is a function of site seasonality

Human Epithelial Cells Discriminate between Commensal and Pathogenic Interactions with <i>Candida albicans</i>

<div><p>The commensal fungus, <i>Candida albicans</i>, can cause life-threatening infections in at risk individuals. <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> colonizes mucosal surfaces of most people, adhering to and interacting with epithelial cells. At low concentrations, <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> is not pathogenic nor does it cause epithelial cell damage <i>in vitro</i>; at high concentrations, <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> causes mucosal infections and kills epithelial cells <i>in vitro</i>. Here we show that while there are quantitative dose-dependent differences in exposed epithelial cell populations, these reflect a fundamental qualitative difference in host cell response to <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i>. Using transcriptional profiling experiments and real time PCR, we found that wild-type <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> induce dose-dependent responses from a FaDu epithelial cell line. However, real time PCR and Western blot analysis using a high dose of various <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> strains demonstrated that these dose-dependent responses are associated with ability to promote host cell damage. Our studies support the idea that epithelial cells play a key role in the immune system by monitoring the microbial community at mucosal surfaces and initiating defensive responses when this community is dysfunctional. This places epithelial cells at a pivotal position in the interaction with <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> as epithelial cells themselves promote <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> stimulated damage.</p></div

Common Epithelial Cell Responses to High and Low Dose <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i>.

<p>Common Epithelial Cell Responses to High and Low Dose <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i>.</p

Effect of <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> mutations on host transcriptional responses.

<p>RT-PCR for IL-8, SERPIN E1 (SER E1), IL-6, IL1⍺, DUSP1, IL-24, and DUSP6 transcription, expressed in relative ng (y-axis). cDNA derived from mRNA purified from FaDu epithelial cell monolayers infected with wild-type <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> (■), <i>rim101Δ/Δ</i> (▲), mutant cells, <i>efg1 cph1Δ/Δ</i> (×) mutant cells, <i>S</i>. <i>cerevisiae</i> (*), or non-infected (◆) at defined time points (x-axis). A single time course experiment is shown, but analogous results were obtained in two replicate experiments.</p

Growth of <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> on epithelial cells.

<p>Wild-type, <i>rim101Δ/Δ</i>, and <i>efg1 cph1Δ/Δ</i> strains were co-cultured with FaDu epithelial cell monolayers at 37°C in a 5% CO₂ incubator. At the indicated times post-infection cells were photographed.</p

MAP kinase activation stimulated by <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i> mutants.

<p>Total protein was purified from infected or non-infected FaDu epithelial cell monolayers at defined time points. Proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and western blots probed with anti-phopho-JNK1/2 (A) or anti-phospho-ERK1/2 (B). A cross-reactive background band (arrowhead) was often observed with the anti-phospho-JNK1/2 antibody. Protein loading was normalized by detection of GAPDH (C). Results shown are representative of three independent experiments.</p

Relevant GO categories of Induced Genes.

<p>Relevant GO categories of Induced Genes.</p

Inflammatory Response Genes.

<p>Inflammatory Response Genes.</p

Differentially expressed host genes in response to differing doses of <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i>.

<p>VENN diagram of genes differentially expressed in epithelial cells in response to a low and a high dose of <i>C</i>. <i>albicans</i>.</p