Effect of nitric oxide on H⁺-efflux in presence of various nutrients in <i>Candida albicans</i>

Abstract

In the present study tentative link has been established between H⁺-efflux and effect of NO in presence of various nutrients (glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, xylose, proline, glutamic acid and lysine) in <i>C</i>. <i>albicans </i>using sodium nitroprusside (SP) as a potent source of NO. It was observed that there was a decreasing trend in <i>p</i>H with time, in control, while SNP treated cells showed an initial decline in <i>p</i>H for 10-15 min, followed by an increase in <i>p</i>H up to 30 min. In presence of glucose there was an enhancement in H⁺-efflux by 9-fold whereas proline, glutamic acid and lysine showed enhancement by 3, 6 and 1.5- fold respectively. Similar trends in increase in <i>p</i>H after 15 min in SNP treated cells of <i>Candida </i>was observed in presence of all nutrients used. It was demonstrated for the first time that H⁺-ATPase of <i>C</i>. <i>albicans </i>was affected by NO.