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ABSTRACTAlthough the echinocandin caspofungin primarily inhibits the synthesis of cell wall 1,3-β-d-glucan, its fungicidal activity could also potentially perturb the expression of virulence factors involved in the ability of Candida albicansto cause infection. Expression of the C. albicanssecretory aspartyl proteinase (SAP) and phospholipase B (PLB) virulence genes was determined by reverse transcription-PCR after the addition of caspofungin to cells grown for 15 h in Sabouraud dextrose broth. In cells that remained viable, expression of SAP1to SAP3, SAP7to SAP9,and PLB1was unaltered after exposure to fungicidal concentrations (4 to 16 μg/ml) of caspofungin over a period of 7 h. However, expression of SAP5increased steadily beginning 1 h after exposure to caspofungin. These results indicate that caspofungin is rapidly fungicidal against C. albicans, before any suppression of SAPor PLB1gene expression can occur.