Fig. 3: ERG251 is required for C. albicans virulence and colonization in mice.

a Biofilm growth of indicated strains induced in 100 μL or 200 μL medium in 96-well plates was measured by metabolic activity using an XTT reduction assay. Data showed mean ± SD of biological triplicates. ns not significant (p-values: 0.45; 0.15; 0.18) b 100 µL or 200 µL of YPD culture of each strain was grown in 96-well plates with or without agitation (~ 170 rpm). Experiments were repeated twice and gave similar results. Data present mean ± SD of technical octuplicates of one experiment. The WT and erg25 curves were respectively nudged +0.04 and +0.02 units along the y-axis for visualization. c–e Immunocompetent BALB/c female mice were infected with the indicated C. albicans strains by retro-orbital injection. Survival was monitored for four weeks (c; n = 8). Fungal burden (CFU per gram tissue) in kidney and liver was assessed three days post-infection (d; n = 10). Contiguous kidney sections (three days post-infection) were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining using α-Candida and α-CD45 antibodies (e). Tissues were visualized by H&E. ns in (c): not significant (p-values: 0.16; 0.20) f Sections from the kidneys in (e) were analyzed by Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Yellow arrowheads indicate filaments. g The erg251-deletion mutant and the A-allele-complemented strain were introduced as a 1:1 mixed inoculum to female BALB/c mice (n = 4). Relative strain abundance in the feces was monitored every 5 days for 20 days using qPCR. Lines indicate medians. Statistical tests performed: unpaired t-tests (a; two-tailed p-values reported); Mantel–Cox tests (c); Mann–Whitney tests (d and g; two-tailed p-values reported).