Factors influencing the interaction between Candida albicans and the polyenoic antibiotics nystatin and amphotericin B have been investigated using a K+-specific electrode to measure polyene-mediated efflux of cellular K+. In batch cultures, sensitivity was a function of culture age. Using continuous (chemostat) cultures, the influence of growth-limiting substrate, specific growth rate, growth temperature and growth pH were examined. Carbon-limited cultures showed the highest sensitivity of those substrates tested, and susceptibility increased with growth rate. Within the range 22 to 42 °C, growth at lower temperatures resulted in increased sensitivity, whilst a similar trend was observed when the growth pH of cultures was reduced. Further, under the conditions tested, there were considerable variations in free intracellular K+ concentrations.
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