{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T19:09:55Z","timestamp":1791832195884,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773014400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol."],"abstract":"\n Objective<\/jats:title>\n \n To investigate the role of the iron-sulfur cluster assembly factor\n SFU1<\/jats:italic>\n in the virulence-related traits of\n Candida albicans<\/jats:italic>\n , particularly its function within the cariogenic cross-kingdom biofilm formed with\n Streptococcus mutans<\/jats:italic>\n .\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n The\n SFU1<\/jats:italic>\n deletion and complemented strains were constructed. Their effects on growth, acid production, morphogenesis, metabolic activity, ROS accumulation, and biofilm formation of\n C. albicans<\/jats:italic>\n were evaluated. The roles of\n SFU1<\/jats:italic>\n in the development, architecture, and spatial distribution of the\n C. albicans-S. mutans<\/jats:italic>\n dual-species biofilm were further analyzed. The cariogenic metabolite profile and matrix synthesis were assessed by measuring lactic acid production, lactate dehydrogenase activity, extracellular polysaccharide content, and expression levels of related genes.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The\n SFU1<\/jats:italic>\n deletion strain exhibited inhibited hyphal formation, reduced metabolic activity, elevated intracellular ROS levels, impaired biofilm formation, and downregulated expression of hyphal and adhesion-related genes (\n ALS3, EFG1, UME6<\/jats:italic>\n ). In the cross-kingdom biofilm, the\n sfu1\/sfu1<\/jats:italic>\n mutant failed to form hyphal networks, resulting in loose biofilm architecture, reduced biomass, and poor integration of\n S. mutans<\/jats:italic>\n . Furthermore, the dual-species biofilm showed significantly decreased lactic acid and EPS production. Co-cultured\n S. mutans<\/jats:italic>\n exhibited downregulated expression of EPS synthesis genes (\n gtfB\/C<\/jats:italic>\n ) and upregulated expression of EPS degradation genes (\n dexA\/B<\/jats:italic>\n ).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n \n SFU1<\/jats:italic>\n modulates hyphal development, redox homeostasis, and biofilm formation in\n C. albicans<\/jats:italic>\n , thereby profoundly affecting its pathogenic synergy with\n S. mutans<\/jats:italic>\n .\n SFU1<\/jats:italic>\n deletion leads to disrupted architecture and attenuated cariogenic virulence of the dual-species biofilm. This study reveals the potential value of targeting fundamental metabolic pathways in\n C. albicans<\/jats:italic>\n to interfere with the cariogenicity of cross-kingdom biofilms, and provides a novel perspective for the prevention and therapy of dental caries.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2026.1795742","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T06:48:19Z","timestamp":1773038899000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Candida albicans metabolic adaptation gene SFU1 regulates dual-species biofilm with Streptococcus mutans"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Qian","family":"Jiang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Stomatology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiang","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Stomatology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University","place":["Beijing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1002\/yea.3503","article-title":"Role of the regulatory genes SEF1, VMA1 and SFU1 in riboflavin synthesis in the flavinogenic yeast Candida famata (Candida flareri)","volume":"37","author":"Andreieva","year":"2020","journal-title":"Yeast"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1038\/s41579-023-00963-6","article-title":"The oral microbiome: diversity, biogeography and human health","volume":"22","author":"Baker","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat. 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