[1] They allow fungi to colonize various substrates and to bind to host tissues.
Adhesion to tissue is an obligatory first step in pathogenesis by many yeasts.
[2] Candida albicans can cause opportunistic oral and genital infections in humans.
Hwp1 is a fungal adhesin belonging to the opportunistic dimorphic fungus Candida albicans.
Hwp1 is unique among fungal adhesins discovered to date in that it is a mammalian transglutaminase substrate.