Influence of lipid composition on the sensitivity of Candida albicans to antifungal agents.

Cerulenin, a specific inhibitor of fatty acid and sterol biosyntheses, inhibited growth and lipid synthesis in C. albicans, which on supplementing the growth medium with optimum concentrations of fatty acids was reversed. Significant changes in the levels of phospholipids and sterols were observed in fatty acid-supplemented cells. Altered phospholipids and their fatty acid profile rendered cells more resistant to miconazole and thereby more permeable to [3H]proline. Thus it appears that fatty acid composition plays an important role in determining the permeability susceptibility of C. albicans to drugs.