Candida albicans: genetics, dimorphism and pathogenicity.

Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that causes severe opportunistic infections in humans. Recent advances in molecular biology techniques applied to this organism (transformation systems, gene disruption strategies, new reporter systems, regulatable promoters) allow a better knowledge of both the molecular basis of dimorphism and the role of specific genes in Candida morphogenesis. These same molecular approaches together with the development of appropriate experimental animal models to analyze the virulence of particular mutants, may help to understand the molecular basis of Candida virulence.