Indole-3-acetic acid synthesized through the indole-3-pyruvate pathway promotes Candida tropicalis biofilm formation

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 17;15(12):e0244246. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244246. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

We previously found that the elevated abundance of the fungus Candida tropicalis is positively correlated with the bacteria Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens in Crohn's disease patients and the three pathogens, when co-cultured, form a robust mixed-species biofilm. The finding suggests that these three pathogens communicate and promote biofilm formation, possibly through secretion of small signaling molecules. To identify candidate signaling molecules, we carried out a metabolomic analysis of the single-species and triple-species cultures of the three pathogens. This analysis identified 15 metabolites that were highly increased in the triple-species culture. One highly induced metabolite was indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which has been shown to induce filamentation of certain fungi. We thus tested the effect of IAA on biofilm formation of C. tropicalis and demonstrated that IAA promotes biofilm formation of C. tropicalis. Then, we carried out isotope tracing experiments using 13C-labeled-tryptophan as a precursor to uncover the biosynthesis pathway of IAA in C. tropicalis. The results indicated that C. tropicalis synthesizes IAA through the indole-3-pyruvate pathway. Further studies using inhibitors of the indole-3-pyruvate pathway are warranted to decipher the mechanisms by which IAA influences biofilm formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biofilms / drug effects
  • Biofilms / growth & development*
  • Candida tropicalis / drug effects
  • Candida tropicalis / growth & development*
  • Candida tropicalis / metabolism
  • Candidiasis / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Indoleacetic Acids / pharmacology*
  • Indoles / metabolism*
  • Plant Growth Regulators / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Indoleacetic Acids
  • Indoles
  • Plant Growth Regulators
  • indol-3-yl pyruvic acid
  • indoleacetic acid