Phenotypic switching explained

Phenotypic switching is switching between multiple cellular morphologies. David R. Soll described two such systems: the first high frequency switching system between several morphological stages and a second high frequency switching system between opaque and white cells. The latter is an epigenetic switching system^{[1] [2]}

Phenotypic switching in Candida albicans is often used to refer to the epigenetic white-to-opaque switching system. C. albicans needs this switch for sexual mating.^[3] Next to the two above mentioned switching systems many other switching systems are known in C. albicans.^[4]

A second example occurs in melanoma, where malignantly transformed pigment cells switch back-and-forth between phenotypes of proliferation and invasion in response to changing microenvironments, driving metastatic progression.^{[5] [6] [7]}

See also

• Polyphenism

External links

• Neville SE, Baigent S, Lowry PJ . Are Hox genes responsible for the phenotypic switching and zonation of the adult adrenal cortex? . Endocrine Abstracts . 2 . 52 . December 2001 .
• D'Souza CA, Heitman J . It infects me, it infects me not: phenotypic switching in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans . J. Clin. Invest. . 108 . 11 . 1577–8 . December 2001 . 11733551 . 200997 . 10.1172/JCI14497 .
• Sonneborn A, Tebarth B, Ernst JF . Control of white-opaque phenotypic switching in Candida albicans by the Efg1p morphogenetic regulator . Infect. Immun. . 67 . 9 . 4655–60 . 1 September 1999. 10456912 . 96790 . 10.1128/IAI.67.9.4655-4660.1999 .
• Javan C, Shaunak S . Repeated phenotypic switching of HIV-1 in AIDS patients sampled regularly over 2 years. . 4th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections . January 22–26, 1997 . Washington, DC . 2005-11-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060626040923/http://www.aegis.com/conferences/croi/1997/450.html . 2006-06-26 . dead .

Notes and References

1. 10.1073/pnas.0605138103. Epigenetic properties of white-opaque switching in Candida albicans are based on a self-sustaining transcriptional feedback loop. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 103. 34. 12807–12812. 2006. Zordan. R. E.. Galgoczy. D. J.. Johnson. A. D.. 1535343. 16899543. free.
2. 3901258. 1985. Slutsky. B. High-frequency switching of colony morphology in Candida albicans. Science. 230. 4726. 666–9. Buffo. J. Soll. D. R. . 10.1126/science.3901258. 1985Sci...230..666S.
3. Rikkerrink E, Magee B, Magee P . Opaque-white phenotype transition: a programmed morphological transition in Candida albicans . J. Bacteriol. . 170 . 2 . 895–899 . 1988 . 2828333 . 210739 . 10.1128/jb.170.2.895-899.1988.
4. Soll DR . The role of phenotypic switching in the basic biology and pathogenesis of Candida albicans . J Oral Microbiol. . 6 . 2 . 895–9 . 2014 . 24455104 . 3895265 . 10.3402/jom.v6.22993.
5. Hoek KS, Eichhoff OM, Schlegel NC, Dobbeling U, Kobert N, Schaerer L, Hemmi S, Dummer R . In vivo switching of human melanoma cells between proliferative and invasive states . Cancer Res. . 68 . 3 . 650–6 . 2008 . 18245463 . 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-2491. free .
6. Hoek KS, Goding CR . Cancer stem cells versus phenotype-switching in melanoma . Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. . 23 . 6 . 746–59 . 2010 . 20726948 . 10.1111/j.1755-148X.2010.00757.x. free .
7. Saez-Ayala M, Montenegro MF, Sanchez-del-Campo L, Fernandez-Perez MP, Chazarra S, Freter R, Middleton M, Pinero-Madrona A, Cabezas-Herrera J, Goding CR, Rodriguez-Lopez JN . Directed phenotype switching as an effective antimelanoma strategy . Cancer Cell . 24 . 1 . 105–19 . 2013 . 23792190 . 10.1016/j.ccr.2013.05.009. free .