Rates of germ tube formation from growing and non-growing yeast cells of Candida albicans.

The rates of germ tube formation from growing and non-growing yeast cells of Candida albicans were investigated using a protocol for dimorphism regulated by temperature and pH. Stationary-phase cells formed germ tubes less rapidly than yeast cells that were preincubated in fresh growth medium prior to induction of dimorphism by an upshift in temperature or pH. On the basis of experiments using inhibitors of macromolecular biosyntheses it is suggested that the accelerated growth kinetics required de novo RNA and protein biosynthesis, but not DNA synthesis. The results suggest that metabolically active yeast cells are better able to undergo dimorphism than non-growing cells.