The alternate respiratory pathway of Candida albicans

Abstract

Candida albicans contains a cryptic cyanide and antimycin A insensitive respiratory system. This alternate oxidase was found (i) at all growth rates from mu = 0.05 to 0.26 in a chemostat culture and (ii) in both mycelial and yeast forms of the organism. Neither chloramphenicol nor cycloheximide prevented the expression of the alternate oxidase. Salicylhydroxamic acid was a potent inhibitor of the cyanide insensitive respiration. The respiration of mitochondria grown in the presence of antimycin A was not inhibited by cyanide or antimycin A but was inhibited by salicylhydroxamic acid.