The parasexual lifestyle of Candida albicans

- C. albicans was long considered to be an obligate asexual species.
- An unusual parasexual cycle has now been uncovered in C. albicans.
- Mating competency is dependent on cells undergoing a white-to-opaque switch.
- Both heterothallic and homothallic modes of mating exist.
- In place of meiosis cells undergo concerted chromosome loss.