Growth Kinetic Profile of Candida albicans Under Varying Environmental Conditions

Abstract

Several environmental conditions were identified to influence the growth and morphogenesis of Candida albicans. The present study quantitatively examined the growth rate and described the kinetic profile of C. albicans under different pH, temperature, and culture medium. When C. albicans was monitored over the 12-h period under different culture media, temperature values, and pH levels, the growth kinetic profile of the organism behaved in accordance with the first-order rate equation. The organism exhibited a relatively faster growth rate when incubated at 37ºC in modified Sabouraud glucose broth medium with pH 7.4. Moreover, the growth profile exhibited a linear pattern between 1.5 h and 6 h after inoculation of C. albicans culture which coincides with the mycelium production, and subsequently shifted to an exponential increase beyond 6 h. Given the environmental conditions selectively supporting the growth and morphogenesis of C. albicans, quantitative descriptions of the rate kinetic profile of C. albicans population offer an objective approach in comparing environmental conditions with varying physicochemical characteristics and biochemical compositions.