A few weeks ago I received a culture of C. albicans to be used in
sensitivity testing for antibiotics. I have noticed that after incubation at
30 degrees C for a week, the colonies on the plate start to change colour
from creamy/white to dark olive green/black. I made a smear of some colonies
that remained white and compared them with the darker ones. The cells of the
darker colonies are very similar in shape and size to the cream-coloured
ones, but their walls are much thicker and dark olive green in colour. I
know that C. albicans has a tendency to switch colony morphologies but i
have not heard of it changing colour in this way. Do you think it might be
related to sporulation? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Kim Vermaak
University of Natal
Pietermaritzburg
Kwazulu-Natal
South Africa
