The Candida Genome Database (CGD): incorporation of Assembly 22, systematic identifiers and visualization of high throughput sequencing data

Alpha1-antitrypsin impacts innate host-pathogen interactions with Candida albicans by stimulating fungal filamentation

Our immune system possesses sophisticated mechanisms to cope with invading microorganisms, while pathogens evolve strategies to deal with threats imposed by host immunity. Human plasma protein α1-antitrypsin (AAT) exhibits pleiotropic immune-modulating properties by both preventing immunopathology and improving antimicrobial host defence. Genetic associations suggested a role for AAT in candidemia, the most frequent fungal blood stream infection in intensive care units, yet little is known about how AAT influences interactions between Candida albicans and the immune system. Here, we show that AAT differentially impacts fungal killing by innate phagocytes. We observed that AAT induces fungal transcriptional reprogramming, associated with cell wall remodelling and downregulation of filamentation repressors. At low concentrations, the cell-wall remodelling induced by AAT increased immunogenic β-glucan exposure and consequently improved fungal clearance by monocytes. Contrastingly, higher AAT concentrations led to excessive C. albicans filamentation and thus promoted fungal immune escape from monocytes and macrophages. This underscores that fungal adaptations to the host protein AAT can differentially define the outcome of encounters with innate immune cells, either contributing to improved immune recognition or fungal immune escape.

Variations in candidalysin amino acid sequence influence toxicity and host responses

Candida albicans causes millions of mucosal infections in humans annually. Hyphal overgrowth on mucosal surfaces is frequently associated with tissue damage caused by candidalysin, a secreted peptide toxin that destabilizes the plasma membrane of host cells thereby promoting disease and immunopathology. Candidalysin was first identified in C. albicans strain SC5314, but recent investigations have revealed candidalysin "variants" of differing amino acid sequence in isolates of C. albicans, and the related species C. dubliniensis, and C tropicalis, suggesting that sequence variation among candidalysins may be widespread in natural populations of these Candida species. Here, we analyzed ECE1 gene sequences from 182 C. albicans isolates, 10 C. dubliniensis isolates, and 78 C. tropicalis isolates and identified 10, 3, and 2 candidalysin variants in these species, respectively. Application of candidalysin variants to epithelial cells revealed differences in the ability to cause cellular damage, changes in metabolic activity, calcium influx, MAPK signalling, and cytokine secretion, while biophysical analyses indicated that variants exhibited differences in their ability to interact with and permeabilize a membrane. This study identifies candidalysin variants with differences in biological activity that are present in medically relevant Candida species.

IMPORTANCE

Fungal infections are a significant burden to health. Candidalysin is a toxin produced by Candida albicans that damages host tissues, facilitating infection. Previously, we demonstrated that candidalysins exist in the related species C. dubliniensis and C. tropicalis, thereby identifying these molecules as a toxin family. Recent genomic analyses have highlighted the presence of a small number of candidalysin "variant" toxins, which have different amino acid sequences to those originally identified. Here, we screened genome sequences of isolates of C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, and C. tropicalis and identified candidalysin variants in all three species. When applied to epithelial cells, candidalysin variants differed in their ability to cause damage, activate intracellular signaling pathways, and induce innate immune responses, while biophysical analysis revealed differences in the ability of candidalysin variants to interact with lipid bilayers. These findings suggest that intraspecies variation in candidalysin amino acid sequence may influence fungal pathogenicity.

The zinc cluster transcription factor Znc1 regulates Rta3-dependent miltefosine resistance in Candida albicans

Zinc cluster transcription factors (ZCFs) are a family of transcription regulators that are almost exclusively found in the fungal kingdom. Activating mutations in the ZCFs Mrr1, Tac1, and Upc2 frequently cause acquired resistance to the widely used antifungal drug fluconazole in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Similar to a hyperactive Tac1, a constitutively active form of the ZCF Znc1 causes increased fluconazole resistance by upregulating the multidrug efflux pump-encoding gene CDR1. Hyperactive forms of both Tac1 and Znc1 also cause overexpression of RTA3, which encodes a seven-transmembrane receptor protein involved in the regulation of asymmetric lipid distribution in the plasma membrane. RTA3 expression is also upregulated by miltefosine, an antiparasitic drug that is active against fungal pathogens and considered for treatment of invasive candidiasis, and rta3Δ mutants are hypersensitive to miltefosine. We found that activated forms of both Tac1 and Znc1 confer increased miltefosine resistance, which was dependent on RTA3 whereas CDR1 was dispensable. Intriguingly, the induction of RTA3 expression by miltefosine depended on Znc1, but not Tac1, in contrast to the known Tac1-dependent RTA3 upregulation by fluphenazine. In line with this observation, znc1Δ mutants were hypersensitive to miltefosine, whereas tac1Δ mutants showed wild-type tolerance. Forced expression of RTA3 reverted the hypersensitivity of znc1Δ mutants, demonstrating that the hypersensitivity was caused by the inability of the mutants to upregulate RTA3 in response to the drug. These findings establish Znc1 as a key regulator of miltefosine-induced RTA3 expression that is important for wild-type miltefosine tolerance.

IMPORTANCE

Transcription factors are central regulators of gene expression, and knowledge about which transcription factor regulates specific genes in response to a certain signal is important to understand the behavior of organisms. In the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, the RTA3 gene is required for wild-type tolerance of miltefosine, an antiparasitic drug that is considered for treatment of invasive candidiasis. Activated forms of the transcription factors Tac1 and Znc1 cause constitutive overexpression of RTA3 and thereby increased miltefosine resistance, but only Tac1 mediates upregulation of RTA3 in response to the known inducer fluphenazine. RTA3 expression is also induced by miltefosine, and we found that this response depends on Znc1, whereas Tac1 is dispensable. Consequently, znc1Δ mutants were hypersensitive to miltefosine, whereas tac1Δ mutants showed wild-type tolerance. These findings demonstrate that Znc1 is the key regulator of RTA3 expression in response to miltefosine that is important for wild-type miltefosine tolerance.

Candida albicans natural diversity: a resource to dissect fungal commensalism and pathogenesis

Candida albicans is a ubiquitous fungus of humans. It is not only a component of the oral and intestinal microbiota of most healthy adults but also a major cause of mucosal disorders and life-threatening disseminated infections. Until recently, research on the biology and pathogenesis of the fungus was largely based on a single clinical isolate. We review investigations that have started to dissect a diverse set of C. albicans strains. Using different approaches to leverage the species' phenotypic and/or genetic diversity, these studies illuminate the wide range of interactions between fungus and host. While connecting genetic variants to phenotypes of interest remains challenging, research on C. albicans' natural diversity is central to understand fungal commensalism and pathogenesis.

Metabolic reprogramming during Candida albicans planktonic-biofilm transition is modulated by the transcription factors Zcf15 and Zcf26

Candida albicans is a commensal of the human microbiota that can form biofilms on implanted medical devices. These biofilms are tolerant to antifungals and to the host immune system. To identify novel genes modulating C. albicans biofilm formation, we performed a large-scale screen with 2,454 C. albicans doxycycline-dependent overexpression strains and identified 16 genes whose overexpression significantly hampered biofilm formation. Among those, overexpression of the ZCF15 and ZCF26 paralogs that encode transcription factors and have orthologs only in biofilm-forming species of the Candida clade, caused impaired biofilm formation both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, overexpression of ZCF15 impeded biofilm formation without any defect in hyphal growth. Transcript profiling, transcription factor binding, and phenotypic microarray analyses conducted upon overexpression of ZCF15 and ZCF26 demonstrated their role in reprogramming cellular metabolism by regulating central metabolism including glyoxylate and tricarboxylic acid cycle genes. Taken together, this study has identified a new set of biofilm regulators, including ZCF15 and ZCF26, that appear to control biofilm development through their specific role in metabolic remodeling.

Structural and Biophysical Dynamics of Fungal Plasma Membrane Proteins and Implications for Echinocandin Action in Candida glabrata

Fungal plasma membrane proteins represent key therapeutic targets for antifungal agents, yet their structure and spatial distribution in the native context remain poorly characterized. Herein, we employ an integrative multimodal approach to elucidate the structural and functional organization of plasma membrane protein complexes in Candida glabrata , focusing on prominent and essential membrane proteins, the polysaccharide synthase β-(1,3)-glucan synthase (GS) and the proton pump Pma1. Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and live cell imaging reveal that GS and Pma1 are heterogeneously distributed into distinct plasma membrane microdomains. Treatment with caspofungin, an echinocandin antifungal that targets GS, alters the plasma membrane and disrupts the native distribution of GS and Pma1. Based on these findings, we propose a model for echinocandin action that considers how drug interactions with the plasma membrane environment lead to inhibition of GS. Our work underscores the importance of interrogating the structural and dynamic characteristics of fungal plasma membrane proteins in situ to understand function and facilitate precisely targeted development of novel antifungal therapies.

In silico genome wide identification of long non-coding RNAs differentially expressed during Candida auris host pathogenesis

Candida auris is an invasive fungal pathogen of high concern due to acquired drug tolerance against antifungals used in clinics. The prolonged persistence on biotic and abiotic surfaces can result in onset of hospital outbreaks causing serious health threat. An in depth understanding of pathology of C. auris is highly desirable for development of efficient therapeutics. Non-coding RNAs play crucial role in fungal pathology. However, the information about ncRNAs is scanty to be utilized. Herein our aim is to identify long noncoding RNAs with potent role in pathobiology of C. auris. Thereby, we analyzed the transcriptomics data of C. auris infection in blood for identification of potential lncRNAs with regulatory role in determining invasion, survival or drug tolerance under infection conditions. Interestingly, we found 275 lncRNAs, out of which 253 matched with lncRNAs reported in Candidamine, corroborating for our accurate data analysis pipeline. Nevertheless, we obtained 23 novel lncRNAs not reported earlier. Three lncRNAs were found to be under expressed throughout the course of infection, in the transcriptomics data. 16 of potent lncRNAs were found to be coexpressed with coding genes, emphasizing for their functional role. Noteworthy, these ncRNAs are expressed from intergenic regions of the genes associated with transporters, metabolism, cell wall biogenesis. This study recommends for possible association between lncRNA expression and C. auris pathogenesis.

What is new in FungiDB: a web-based bioinformatics platform for omics-scale data analysis for fungal and oomycete species

FungiDB (https://fungidb.org) serves as a valuable online resource that seamlessly integrates genomic and related large-scale data for a wide range of fungal and oomycete species. As an integral part of the VEuPathDB Bioinformatics Resource Center (https://veupathdb.org), FungiDB continually integrates both published and unpublished data addressing various aspects of fungal biology. Established in early 2011, the database has evolved to support 674 datasets. The datasets include over 300 genomes spanning various taxa (e.g. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Mucoromycota, as well as Albuginales, Peronosporales, Pythiales, and Saprolegniales). In addition to genomic assemblies and annotation, over 300 extra datasets encompassing diverse information, such as expression and variation data, are also available. The resource also provides an intuitive web-based interface, facilitating comprehensive approaches to data mining and visualization. Users can test their hypotheses and navigate through omics-scale datasets using a built-in search strategy system. Moreover, FungiDB offers capabilities for private data analysis via the integrated VEuPathDB Galaxy platform. FungiDB also permits genome improvements by capturing expert knowledge through the User Comments system and the Apollo genome annotation editor for structural and functional gene curation. FungiDB facilitates data exploration and analysis and contributes to advancing research efforts by capturing expert knowledge for fungal and oomycete species.

Unravelling the Role of Candida albicans Prn1 in the Oxidative Stress Response through a Proteomics Approach

Candida albicans Prn1 is a protein with an unknown function similar to mammalian Pirin. It also has orthologues in other pathogenic fungi, but not in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Prn1 highly increases its abundance in response to H2O2 treatment; thus, to study its involvement in the oxidative stress response, a C. albicans prn1∆ mutant and the corresponding wild-type strain SN250 have been studied. Under H2O2 treatment, Prn1 absence led to a higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a lower survival rate, with a higher percentage of death by apoptosis, confirming its relevant role in oxidative detoxication. The quantitative differential proteomics studies of both strains in the presence and absence of H2O2 indicated a lower increase in proteins with oxidoreductase activity after the treatment in the prn1∆ strain, as well as an increase in proteasome-activating proteins, corroborated by in vivo measurements of proteasome activity, with respect to the wild type. In addition, remarkable differences in the abundance of some transcription factors were observed between mutant and wild-type strains, e.g., Mnl1 or Nrg1, an Mnl1 antagonist. orf19.4850, a protein orthologue to S. cerevisiae Cub1, has shown its involvement in the response to H2O2 and in proteasome function when Prn1 is highly expressed in the wild type.

Identification of an active RNAi pathway in Candida albicans

RNA interference (RNAi) is a fundamental regulatory pathway with a wide range of functions, including regulation of gene expression and maintenance of genome stability. Although RNAi is widespread in the fungal kingdom, well-known species, such as the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have lost the RNAi pathway. Until now evidence has been lacking for a fully functional RNAi pathway in Candida albicans, a human fungal pathogen considered critically important by the World Health Organization. Here, we demonstrated that the widely used C. albicans reference strain (SC5314) contains an inactivating missense mutation in the gene encoding for the central RNAi component Argonaute. In contrast, most other C. albicans isolates contain a canonical Argonaute protein predicted to be functional and RNAi-active. Indeed, using high-throughput small and long RNA sequencing combined with seamless CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing, we demonstrate that an active C. albicans RNAi machinery represses expression of subtelomeric gene families. Thus, an intact and functional RNAi pathway exists in C. albicans, highlighting the importance of using multiple reference strains when studying this dangerous pathogen.

Decoding the role of oxidative stress resistance and alternative carbon substrate assimilation in the mature biofilm growth mode of Candida glabrata

BACKGROUND

Biofilm formation is viewed as a vital mechanism in C. glabrata pathogenesis. Although, it plays a significant role in virulence but transcriptomic architecture and metabolic pathways governing the biofilm growth mode of C. glabrata remain elusive. The present study intended to investigate the genes implicated in biofilm growth phase of C. glabrata through global transcriptomic approach.

RESULTS

Functional analysis of Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using gene ontology and pathways analysis revealed that upregulated genes are involved in the glyoxylate cycle, carbon-carbon lyase activity, pre-autophagosomal structure membrane and vacuolar parts whereas, down- regulated genes appear to be associated with glycolysis, ribonucleoside biosynthetic process, ribosomal and translation process in the biofilm growth condition. The RNA-Seq expression of eight selected DEGs (CgICL1, CgMLS1, CgPEP1, and CgNTH1, CgERG9, CgERG11, CgTEF3, and CgCOF1) was performed with quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The gene expression profile of selected DEGs with RT-qPCR displayed a similar pattern of expression as observed in RNA-Seq. Phenotype screening of mutant strains generated for genes CgPCK1 and CgPEP1, showed that Cgpck1∆ failed to grow on alternative carbon substrate (Glycerol, Ethanol, Oleic acid) and similarly, Cgpep1∆ unable to grow on YPD medium supplemented with hydrogen peroxide. Our results suggest that in the absence of glucose, C. glabrata assimilate glycerol, oleic acid and generate acetyl coenzyme-A (acetyl-CoA) which is a central and connecting metabolite between catabolic and anabolic pathways (glyoxylate and gluconeogenesis) to produce glucose and fulfil energy requirements.

CONCLUSIONS

The study was executed using various approaches (transcriptomics, functional genomics and gene deletion) and it revealed that metabolic plasticity of C. glabrata (NCCPF-100,037) in biofilm stage modulates its virulence and survival ability to counter the stress and may promote its transition from commensal to opportunistic pathogen. The observations deduced from the present study along with future work on characterization of the proteins involved in this intricate process may prove to be beneficial for designing novel antifungal strategies.

A gain-of-function mutation in zinc cluster transcription factor Rob1 drives Candida albicans adaptive growth in the cystic fibrosis lung environment

Candida albicans chronically colonizes the respiratory tract of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). It competes with CF-associated pathogens (e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and contributes to disease severity. We hypothesize that C. albicans undergoes specific adaptation mechanisms that explain its persistence in the CF lung environment. To identify the underlying genetic and phenotypic determinants, we serially recovered 146 C. albicans clinical isolates over a period of 30 months from the sputum of 25 antifungal-naive CF patients. Multilocus sequence typing analyses revealed that most patients were individually colonized with genetically close strains, facilitating comparative analyses between serial isolates. We strikingly observed differential ability to filament and form monospecies and dual-species biofilms with P. aeruginosa among 18 serial isolates sharing the same diploid sequence type, recovered within one year from a pediatric patient. Whole genome sequencing revealed that their genomes were highly heterozygous and similar to each other, displaying a highly clonal subpopulation structure. Data mining identified 34 non-synonymous heterozygous SNPs in 19 open reading frames differentiating the hyperfilamentous and strong biofilm-former strains from the remaining isolates. Among these, we detected a glycine-to-glutamate substitution at position 299 (G299E) in the deduced amino acid sequence of the zinc cluster transcription factor ROB1 (ROB1G299E), encoding a major regulator of filamentous growth and biofilm formation. Introduction of the G299E heterozygous mutation in a co-isolated weak biofilm-former CF strain was sufficient to confer hyperfilamentous growth, increased expression of hyphal-specific genes, increased monospecies biofilm formation and increased survival in dual-species biofilms formed with P. aeruginosa, indicating that ROB1G299E is a gain-of-function mutation. Disruption of ROB1 in a hyperfilamentous isolate carrying the ROB1G299E allele abolished hyperfilamentation and biofilm formation. Our study links a single heterozygous mutation to the ability of C. albicans to better survive during the interaction with other CF-associated microbes and illuminates how adaptive traits emerge in microbial pathogens to persistently colonize and/or infect the CF-patient airways.

Physiological adventures in Candida albicans: farnesol and ubiquinones

SUMMARYFarnesol was first identified as a quorum-sensing molecule, which blocked the yeast to hyphal transition in Candida albicans, 22 years ago. However, its interactions with Candida biology are surprisingly complex. Exogenous (secreted or supplied) farnesol can also act as a virulence factor during pathogenesis and as a fungicidal agent triggering apoptosis in other competing fungi. Farnesol synthesis is turned off both during anaerobic growth and in opaque cells. Distinctly different cellular responses are observed as exogenous farnesol levels are increased from 0.1 to 100 µM. Reported changes include altered morphology, stress response, pathogenicity, antibiotic sensitivity/resistance, and even cell lysis. Throughout, there has been a dearth of mechanisms associated with these observations, in part due to the absence of accurate measurement of intracellular farnesol levels (Fi). This obstacle has recently been overcome, and the above phenomena can now be viewed in terms of changing Fi levels and the percentage of farnesol secreted. Critically, two aspects of isoprenoid metabolism present in higher organisms are absent in C. albicans and likely in other yeasts. These are pathways for farnesol salvage (converting farnesol to farnesyl pyrophosphate) and farnesylcysteine cleavage, a necessary step in the turnover of farnesylated proteins. Together, these developments suggest a unifying model, whereby high, threshold levels of Fi regulate which target proteins are farnesylated or the extent to which they are farnesylated. Thus, we suggest that the diversity of cellular responses to farnesol reflects the diversity of the proteins that are or are not farnesylated.

Functional Redundancy in Candida auris Cell Surface Adhesins Crucial for Cell-Cell Interaction and Aggregation

Candida auris is an emerging nosocomial fungal pathogen associated with life-threatening invasive disease due to its persistent colonization, high level of transmissibility and multi-drug resistance. Aggregative and non-aggregative growth phenotypes for C. auris strains with different biofilm forming abilities, drug susceptibilities and virulence characteristics have been described. Using comprehensive transcriptional analysis we identified key cell surface adhesins that were highly upregulated in the aggregative phenotype during in vitro and in vivo grown biofilms using a mouse model of catheter infection. Phenotypic and functional evaluations of generated null mutants demonstrated crucial roles for the adhesins Als5 and Scf1 in mediating cell-cell adherence, coaggregation and biofilm formation. While individual mutants were largely non-aggregative, in combination cells were able to co-adhere and aggregate, as directly demonstrated by measuring cell adhesion forces using single-cell atomic force spectroscopy. This co-adherence indicates their role as complementary adhesins, which despite their limited similarity, may function redundantly to promote cell-cell interaction and biofilm formation. Functional diversity of cell wall proteins may be a form of regulation that provides the aggregative phenotype of C. auris with flexibility and rapid adaptation to the environment, potentially impacting persistence and virulence.

Functional Redundancy in Candida auris Cell Surface Adhesins Crucial for Cell-Cell Interaction and Aggregation

Candida auris is an emerging nosocomial fungal pathogen associated with life-threatening invasive disease due to its persistent colonization, high level of transmissibility and multi-drug resistance. Aggregative and non-aggregative growth phenotypes for C. auris strains with different biofilm forming abilities, drug susceptibilities and virulence characteristics have been described. Using comprehensive transcriptional analysis we identified key cell surface adhesins that were highly upregulated in the aggregative phenotype during in vitro and in vivo grown biofilms using a mouse model of catheter infection. Phenotypic and functional evaluations of generated null mutants demonstrated crucial roles for the adhesins Als5 and Scf1 in mediating cell-cell adherence, coaggregation and biofilm formation. While individual mutants were largely non-aggregative, in combination cells were able to co-adhere and aggregate, as directly demonstrated by measuring cell adhesion forces using single-cell atomic force spectroscopy. This co-adherence indicates their role as complementary adhesins, which despite their limited similarity, may function redundantly to promote cell-cell interaction and biofilm formation. Functional diversity of cell wall proteins may be a form of regulation that provides the aggregative phenotype of C. auris with flexibility and rapid adaptation to the environment, potentially impacting persistence and virulence.

The Candida auris Hog1 MAP kinase is essential for the colonization of murine skin and intradermal persistence

Candida auris , a multidrug-resistant human fungal pathogen, was first identified in 2009 in Japan. Since then, systemic C. auris infections have now been reported in more than 50 countries, with mortality rates of 30-60%. A major contributing factor to its high inter- and intrahospital clonal transmission is that C. auris, unlike most Candida species, displays unique skin tropism and can stay on human skin for a prolonged period. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for C. auris skin colonization, intradermal persistence, and systemic virulence are poorly understood. Here, we report that C. auris Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is essential for efficient skin colonization, intradermal persistence, as well as systemic virulence. RNA-seq analysis of wildtype parental and hog1 Δ mutant strains revealed marked down-regulation of genes involved in processes such as cell adhesion, cell-wall rearrangement, and pathogenesis in hog1 Δ mutant compared to the wildtype parent. Consistent with these data, we found a prominent role for Hog1 in maintaining cell-wall architecture, as the hog1 Δ mutant demonstrated a significant increase in cell-surface β-glucan exposure and a concomitant reduction in chitin content. Additionally, we observed that Hog1 was required for biofilm formation in vitro and fungal survival when challenged with primary murine macrophages and neutrophils ex vivo . Collectively, these findings have important implications for understanding the C. auris skin adherence mechanisms and penetration of skin epithelial layers preceding bloodstream infections.

Importance

Candida auris is a World Health Organization (WHO) fungal priority pathogen and an urgent public health threat recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). C. auris has a unique ability to colonize human skin. It also persists on abiotic surfaces in healthcare environments for an extended period of time. These attributes facilitate the inter- and intrahospital clonal transmission of C. auris . Therefore, understanding C. auris skin colonization mechanisms are critical for infection control, especially in hospitals and nursing homes. However, despite its profound clinical relevance, the molecular and genetic basis of C. auris skin colonization mechanisms are poorly understood. Herein, we present data on the identification of the Hog1 MAP kinase as a key regulator of C. auris skin colonization. These findings lay foundation for further characterization of unique mechanisms that promote fungal persistence on human skin.

Erg251 has complex and pleiotropic effects on azole susceptibility, filamentation, and stress response phenotypes

Ergosterol is essential for fungal cell membrane integrity and growth, and numerous antifungal drugs target ergosterol. Inactivation or modification of ergosterol biosynthetic genes can lead to changes in antifungal drug susceptibility, filamentation and stress response. Here, we found that the ergosterol biosynthesis gene ERG251 is a hotspot for point mutations during adaptation to antifungal drug stress within two distinct genetic backgrounds of Candida albicans. Heterozygous point mutations led to single allele dysfunction of ERG251 and resulted in azole tolerance in both genetic backgrounds. This is the first known example of point mutations causing azole tolerance in C. albicans. Importantly, single allele dysfunction of ERG251 in combination with recurrent chromosome aneuploidies resulted in bona fide azole resistance. Homozygous deletions of ERG251 caused increased fitness in low concentrations of fluconazole and decreased fitness in rich medium, especially at low initial cell density. Dysfunction of ERG251 resulted in transcriptional upregulation of the alternate sterol biosynthesis pathway and ZRT2, a Zinc transporter. Notably, we determined that overexpression of ZRT2 is sufficient to increase azole tolerance in C. albicans. Our combined transcriptional and phenotypic analyses revealed the pleiotropic effects of ERG251 on stress responses including cell wall, osmotic and oxidative stress. Interestingly, while loss of either allele of ERG251 resulted in similar antifungal drug responses, we observed functional divergence in filamentation regulation between the two alleles of ERG251 (ERG251-A and ERG251-B) with ERG251-A exhibiting a dominant role in the SC5314 genetic background. Finally, in a murine model of systemic infection, homozygous deletion of ERG251 resulted in decreased virulence while the heterozygous deletion mutants maintain their pathogenicity. Overall, this study provides extensive genetic, transcriptional and phenotypic analysis for the effects of ERG251 on drug susceptibility, fitness, filamentation and stress responses.

Functional genetic characterization of stress tolerance and biofilm formation in Nakaseomyces (Candida) glabrata via a novel CRISPR activation system

The overexpression of genes frequently arises in Nakaseomyces (formerly Candida) glabrata via gain-of-function mutations, gene duplication, or aneuploidies, with important consequences on pathogenesis traits and antifungal drug resistance. This highlights the need to develop specific genetic tools to mimic and study genetic amplification in this important fungal pathogen. Here, we report the development, validation, and applications of the first clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) activation (CRISPRa) system in N. glabrata for targeted genetic overexpression. Using this system, we demonstrate the ability of CRISPRa to drive high levels of gene expression in N. glabrata, and further assess optimal guide RNA targeting for robust overexpression. We demonstrate the applications of CRISPRa to overexpress genes involved in fungal pathogenesis and drug resistance and detect corresponding phenotypic alterations in these key traits, including the characterization of novel phenotypes. Finally, we capture strain variation using our CRISPRa system in two commonly used N. glabrata genetic backgrounds. Together, this tool will expand our capacity for functional genetic overexpression in this pathogen, with numerous possibilities for future applications.IMPORTANCENakaseomyces (formerly Candida) glabrata is an important fungal pathogen that is now the second leading cause of candidiasis infections. A common strategy that this pathogen employs to resist antifungal treatment is through the upregulation of gene expression, but we have limited tools available to study this phenomenon. Here, we develop, optimize, and apply the use of CRISPRa as a means to overexpress genes in N. glabrata. We demonstrate the utility of this system to overexpress key genes involved in antifungal susceptibility, stress tolerance, and biofilm growth. This tool will be an important contribution to our ability to study the biology of this important fungal pathogen.

Transcriptomic meta-analysis to identify potential antifungal targets in Candida albicans

BACKGROUND

Candida albicans is a fungal pathogen causing human infections. Here we investigated differential gene expression patterns and functional enrichment in C. albicans strains grown under different conditions.

METHODS

A systematic GEO database search identified 239 "Candida albicans" datasets, of which 14 were selected after rigorous criteria application. Retrieval of raw sequencing data from the ENA database was accompanied by essential metadata extraction from dataset descriptions and original articles. Pre-processing via the tailored nf-core pipeline for C. albicans involved alignment, gene/transcript quantification, and diverse quality control measures. Quality assessment via PCA and DESeq2 identified significant genes (FDR < = 0.05, log2-fold change > = 1 or <= -1), while topGO conducted GO term enrichment analysis. Exclusions were made based on data quality and strain relevance, resulting in the selection of seven datasets from the SC5314 strain background for in-depth investigation.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis of seven selected studies unveiled a substantial number of genes exhibiting significant up-regulation (24,689) and down-regulation (18,074). These differentially expressed genes were further categorized into 2,497 significantly up-regulated and 2,573 significantly down-regulated Gene Ontology (GO) IDs. GO term enrichment analysis clustered these terms into distinct groups, providing insights into the functional implications. Three target gene lists were compiled based on previous studies, focusing on central metabolism, ion homeostasis, and pathogenicity. Frequency analysis revealed genes with higher occurrence within the identified GO clusters, suggesting their potential as antifungal targets. Notably, the genes TPS2, TPS1, RIM21, PRA1, SAP4, and SAP6 exhibited higher frequencies within the clusters. Through frequency analysis within the GO clusters, several key genes emerged as potential targets for antifungal therapies. These include RSP5, GLC7, SOD2, SOD5, SOD1, SOD6, SOD4, SOD3, and RIM101 which exhibited higher occurrence within the identified clusters.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive study significantly advances our understanding of the dynamic nature of gene expression in C. albicans. The identification of genes with enhanced potential as antifungal drug targets underpins their value for future interventions. The highlighted genes, including TPS2, TPS1, RIM21, PRA1, SAP4, SAP6, RSP5, GLC7, SOD2, SOD5, SOD1, SOD6, SOD4, SOD3, and RIM101, hold promise for the development of targeted antifungal therapies.

Impact of Intravenous Fat Emulsion Choice on Candida Biofilm, Hyphal Growth, and Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections in Pediatric Patients

BACKGROUND

Use of mixed-oil (MO) intravenous fat emulsion (IFE) was shown to inhibit Candida albicans biofilm formation and overall rate of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSIs) compared with soybean-oil (SO) IFE). We aimed to delineate this inhibitory mechanism and impact of IFE choice on distribution of fungal CR-BSIs.

METHODS

Transcriptional profiling was conducted on C. albicans grown in SO-IFE, MO-IFE, or SO-IFE with capric acid. Overexpression strains of shared down-regulated genes were constructed using a tetracycline-off system to assess hypha and biofilm formation in IFEs. A 5-year retrospective multicenter cohort study was performed to assess differences in CR-BSIs caused by Candida species based on the IFE formulation received in pediatric patients.

RESULTS

Genes significantly down-regulated in MO-IFE and SO-IFE with capric acid included CDC11, HGC1, and UME6. Overexpression of HGC1 or UME6 enabled filamentation in capric acid and MO-IFE. Interestingly, only overexpression of UME6 was sufficient to rescue biofilm growth in MO-IFE. MO-IFE administration was associated with a higher proportion of non-albicans Candida versus C. albicans CR-BSIs (42% vs 33%; odds ratio, 1.22 [95% confidence interval, .46-3.26]).

CONCLUSIONS

MO-IFE affects C. albicans biofilm formation and hyphal growth via a UME6-dependent mechanism. A numerical but not statistically significant difference in distribution of Candida spp. among CR-BSIs was observed.

Use of a Candida albicans SC5314 PacBio HiFi reads dataset to close gaps in the reference genome assembly, reveal a subtelomeric gene family, and produce accurate phased allelic sequences

Candida albicans SC5314 is the most-often used strain for molecular manipulation of the species. The SC5314 reference genome sequence is the result of considerable effort from many scientists and has advanced research into fungal biology and pathogenesis. Although the resource is highly developed and presented in a phased diploid format, the sequence includes gaps and does not extend to the telomeres on its eight chromosome pairs. Accurate SC5314 genome assembly is complicated by the presence of extensive repeated sequences and considerable allelic length variation at some loci. Advances in genome sequencing technology provide the tools to obtain highly accurate long-read data that span even the most-difficult-to-assemble genome regions. Here, we describe derivation of a PacBio HiFi data set and creation of a collapsed haploid telomere-to-telomere assembly of the SC5314 genome (ASM3268872v1) that revealed previously unknown features of the strain. ASM3268872v1 subtelomeric distances were up to 19 kb larger than in the reference genome and revealed a family of highly conserved DNA helicase-encoding genes at 10 of the 16 chromosome ends. We also describe alignments of individual HiFi reads to deduce accurate diploid sequences for the most notoriously difficult-to-assemble C. albicans genes: the agglutinin-like sequence (ALS) gene family. We provide a tutorial that demonstrates how the HiFi reads can be visualized to explore any region of interest. Availability of the HiFi reads data set and the ASM3268872v1 comparative guide assembly will streamline research efforts because accurate diploid sequences can be derived using simple in silico methods rather than time-consuming laboratory-bench approaches.

Associations between Genomic Variants and Antifungal Susceptibilities in the Archived Global Candida auris Population

Candida auris is a recently emerged human fungal pathogen that has posed a significant threat to public health. Since its first identification in 2009, this fungus has caused nosocomial infections in over 47 countries across all inhabited continents. As of May 2023, the whole-genome sequences of over 4000 strains have been reported and a diversity of mutations, including in genes known to be associated with drug resistance in other human fungal pathogens, have been described. Among them, 387 strains contained antifungal-susceptibility information for which different methods might be used depending on the drugs and/or investigators. In most reports on C. auris so far, the number of strains analyzed was very small, from one to a few dozen, and the statistical significance of the relationships between these genetic variants and their antifungal susceptibilities could not be assessed. In this study, we conducted genome-wide association studies on individual clades based on previously published C. auris isolates to investigate the statistical association between genomic variants and susceptibility differences to nine antifungal drugs belonging to four major drug categories: 5-fluorocytosine, amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin. Due to the small sample sizes for Clades II, V, and VI, this study only assessed Clades I, III, and IV. Our analyses revealed 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Clade I (10 in coding and 5 in noncoding regions), 24 SNPs in Clade III (11 in coding and 13 in noncoding regions), and 13 SNPs in clade IV (10 in coding and 3 in noncoding regions) as statistically significantly associated with susceptibility differences to one or more of the nine antifungal drugs. While four SNPs in genes encoding lanosterol 14-α-demethylase (ERG11) and the catalytic subunit of 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase (FKS1) were shared between clades, including the experimentally confirmed Ser639Phe/Pro missense substitutions in FKS1 for echinocandin resistance, most of the identified SNPs were clade specific, consistent with their recent independent origins. Interestingly, the majority of the antifungal resistance-associated SNPs were novel, and in genes and intergenic regions that have never been reported before as associated with antifungal resistance. While targeted study is needed to confirm the role of each novel SNP, the diverse mechanisms of drug resistance in C. auris revealed here indicate both challenges for infection control and opportunities for the development of novel antifungal drugs against this and other human fungal pathogens.

First Canadian report of transmission of fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis within two hospital networks confirmed by genomic analysis

Candida parapsilosis is a common cause of non-albicans candidemia. It can be transmitted in healthcare settings resulting in serious healthcare-associated infections and can develop drug resistance to commonly used antifungal agents. Following a significant increase in the percentage of fluconazole (FLU)-nonsusceptible isolates from sterile site specimens of patients in two Ontario acute care hospital networks, we used whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis to retrospectively investigate the genetic relatedness of isolates and to assess potential in-hospital spread. Phylogenomic analysis was conducted on all 19 FLU-resistant and seven susceptible-dose dependent (SDD) isolates from the two hospital networks, as well as 13 FLU susceptible C. parapsilosis isolates from the same facilities and 20 isolates from patients not related to the investigation. Twenty-five of 26 FLU-nonsusceptible isolates (resistant or SDD) and two susceptible isolates from the two hospital networks formed a phylogenomic cluster that was highly similar genetically and distinct from other isolates. The results suggest the presence of a persistent strain of FLU-nonsusceptible C. parapsilosis causing infections over a 5.5-year period. Results from WGS were largely comparable to microsatellite typing. Twenty-seven of 28 cluster isolates had a K143R substitution in lanosterol 14-α-demethylase (ERG11) associated with azole resistance. As the first report of a healthcare-associated outbreak of FLU-nonsusceptible C. parapsilosis in Canada, this study underscores the importance of monitoring local antimicrobial resistance trends and demonstrates the value of WGS analysis to detect and characterize clusters and outbreaks. Timely access to genomic epidemiological information can inform targeted infection control measures.

Direct RNA sequencing coupled with adaptive sampling enriches RNAs of interest in the transcriptome

Abundant cellular transcripts occupy most of the sequencing reads in the transcriptome, making it challenging to assay for low-abundant transcripts. Here, we utilize the adaptive sampling function of Oxford Nanopore sequencing to selectively deplete and enrich RNAs of interest without biochemical manipulation before sequencing. Adaptive sampling performed on a pool of in vitro transcribed RNAs resulted in a net increase of 22-30% in the proportion of transcripts of interest in the population. Enriching and depleting different proportions of the Candida albicans transcriptome also resulted in a 11-13.5% increase in the number of reads on target transcripts, with longer and more abundant transcripts being more efficiently depleted. Depleting all currently annotated Candida albicans transcripts did not result in an absolute enrichment of remaining transcripts, although we identified 26 previously unknown transcripts and isoforms, 17 of which are antisense to existing transcripts. Further improvements in the adaptive sampling of RNAs will allow the technology to be widely applied to study RNAs of interest in diverse transcriptomes.

Heat Shock Protein SSA1 Enriched in Hypoxic Secretome of Candida albicans Exerts an Immunomodulatory Effect via Regulating Macrophage Function

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that can survive in both normoxic and hypoxic environments. The involvement of C. albicans secretome on host biological processes has been demonstrated. However, the immunoregulatory function of C. albicans secretome released under hypoxic condition remains unclear. This study demonstrated the differences in cytokine responses and protein profiles between secretomes prepared under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, the immunoregulatory effects of heat shock protein SSA1(Ssa1), a protein candidate enriched in the hypoxic secretome, were investigated. Stimulation of mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) with Ssa1 resulted in the significant production of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α as well as the significant expression of M2b macrophage markers (CD86, CD274 and tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14), suggesting that C. albicans Ssa1 may promote macrophage polarization towards an M2b-like phenotype. Proteomic analysis of Ssa1-treated BMMs also revealed that Ssa1 reduced inflammation-related factors (IL-18-binding protein, IL-1 receptor antagonist protein, OX-2 membrane glycoprotein and cis-aconitate decarboxylase) and enhanced the proteins involved in anti-inflammatory response (CMRF35-like molecule 3 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor). Based on these results, we investigated the effect of Ssa1 on C. albicans infection and showed that Ssa1 inhibited the uptake of C. albicans by BMMs. Taken together, our results suggest that C. albicans alters its secretome, particularly by promoting the release of Ssa1, to modulate host immune response and survive under hypoxic conditions.

Regulation of copper uptake by the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex in Candida albicans affects susceptibility to antifungal and oxidative stresses under hypoxia

Candida albicans is a human colonizer and also an opportunistic yeast occupying different niches that are mostly hypoxic. While hypoxia is the prevalent condition within the host, the machinery that integrates oxygen status to tune the fitness of fungal pathogens remains poorly characterized. Here, we uncovered that Snf5, a subunit of the chromatin remodeling complex SWI/SNF, is required to tolerate antifungal stress particularly under hypoxia. RNA-seq profiling of snf5 mutant exposed to amphotericin B and fluconazole under hypoxic conditions uncovered a signature that is reminiscent of copper (Cu) starvation. We found that under hypoxic and Cu-starved environments, Snf5 is critical for preserving Cu homeostasis and the transcriptional modulation of the Cu regulon. Furthermore, snf5 exhibits elevated levels of reactive oxygen species and an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress principally under hypoxia. Supplementing growth medium with Cu or increasing gene dosage of the Cu transporter CTR1 alleviated snf5 growth defect and attenuated reactive oxygen species levels in response to antifungal challenge. Genetic interaction analysis suggests that Snf5 and the bona fide Cu homeostasis regulator Mac1 function in separate pathways. Together, our data underlined a unique role of SWI/SNF complex as a potent regulator of Cu metabolism and antifungal stress under hypoxia.

Bibliometric analysis and thematic review of Candida pathogenesis: Fundamental omics to applications as potential antifungal drugs and vaccines

Invasive candidiasis caused by the pathogenic Candida yeast species has resulted in elevating global mortality. The pathogenicity of Candida spp. is not only originated from its primary invasive yeast-to-hyphal transition; virulence factors (transcription factors, adhesins, invasins, and enzymes), biofilm, antifungal drug resistance, stress tolerance, and metabolic adaptation have also contributed to a greater clinical burden. However, the current research theme in fungal pathogenicity could hardly be delineated with the increasing research output. Therefore, our study analysed the research trends in Candida pathogenesis over the past 37 years via a bibliometric approach against the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Based on the 3993 unique documents retrieved, significant international collaborations among researchers were observed, especially between Germany (Bernhard Hube) and the UK (Julian Naglik), whose focuses are on Candida proteinases, adhesins, and candidalysin. The prominent researchers (Neils Gow, Alistair Brown, and Frank Odds) at the University of Exeter and the University of Aberdeen (second top performing affiliation) UK contribute significantly to the mechanisms of Candida adaptation, tolerance, and stress response. However, the science mapping of co-citation analysis performed herein could not identify a hub representative of subsequent work since the clusters were semi-redundant. The co-word analysis that was otherwise adopted, revealed three research clusters; the cluster-based thematic analyses indicated the severeness of Candida biofilm and antifungal resistance as well as the elevating trend on molecular mechanism elucidation for drug screening and repurposing. Importantly, the in vivo pathogen adaptation and interactions with hosts are crucial for potential vaccine development.

Population genomic analyses reveal high diversity, recombination and nosocomial transmission among Candida glabrata (Nakaseomyces glabrata) isolates causing invasive infections

Candida glabrata is a commensal yeast of the gastrointestinal tract and skin of humans. However, it causes opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, and is the second most common Candida pathogen causing bloodstream infections. Although there are many studies on the epidemiology of C. glabrata infections, the fine- and large-scale geographical nature of C. glabrata remain incompletely understood. Here we investigated both the fine- and large-scale population structure of C. glabrata through genome sequencing of 80 clinical isolates obtained from six tertiary hospitals in Qatar and by comparing with global collections. Our fine-scale analyses revealed high genetic diversity within the Qatari population of C. glabrata and identified signatures of recombination, inbreeding and clonal expansion within and between hospitals, including evidence for nosocomial transmission among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In addition to signatures of recombination at the population level, both MATa and MATα alleles were detected in most hospitals, indicating the potential for sexual reproduction in clinical environments. Comparisons with global samples showed that the Qatari C. glabrata population was very similar to those from other parts of the world, consistent with the significant role of recent anthropogenic activities in shaping its population structure. Genome-wide association studies identified both known and novel genomic variants associated with reduced susceptibilities to fluconazole, 5-flucytosine and echinocandins. Together, our genomic analyses revealed the diversity, transmission patterns and antifungal drug resistance mechanisms of C. glabrata in Qatar as well as the relationships between Qatari isolates and those from other parts of the world.

Recent gene selection and drug resistance underscore clinical adaptation across Candida species

Understanding how microbial pathogens adapt to treatments, humans and clinical environments is key to infer mechanisms of virulence, transmission and drug resistance. This may help improve therapies and diagnostics for infections with a poor prognosis, such as those caused by fungal pathogens, including Candida. Here we analysed genomic variants across approximately 2,000 isolates from six Candida species (C. glabrata, C. auris, C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C. orthopsilosis) and identified genes under recent selection, suggesting a highly complex clinical adaptation. These involve species-specific and convergently affected adaptive mechanisms, such as adhesion. Using convergence-based genome-wide association studies we identified known drivers of drug resistance alongside potentially novel players. Finally, our analyses reveal an important role of structural variants and suggest an unexpected involvement of (para)sexual recombination in the spread of resistance. Our results provide insights on how opportunistic pathogens adapt to human-related environments and unearth candidate genes that deserve future attention.

Deciphering the molecular components of the quorum sensing system in the fungus Ophiostoma piceae

IMPORTANCE

This manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the molecular mechanisms triggered by the quorum sensing (QS) molecule farnesol in the biotechnologically relevant fungus Ophiostoma piceae. We present for the first time, using a multiomics approach, an in-depth analysis of the QS response in a saprotroph fungus, detailing the molecular components involved in the response and their possible mechanisms of action. We think that these results are particularly relevant in the knowledge of the functioning of the QS in eukaryotes, as well as for the exploitation of these mechanisms.

The impact of ORF19.36.1 in the pathobiology of Candida albicans

BACKGROUND

Our previous proteomics data obtained from Candida albicans recovered after serial passage in a murine model of systemic infection revealed that Orf19.36.1 expression correlates with the virulence of the fungus. Therefore, the impact of ORF19.36.1 upon virulence was tested in this study.

MATERIALS & METHODS

CRISPR-Cas9 technology was used to construct homozygous C. albicans orf19.36.1 null mutants and the phenotypes of these mutants examined in vitro (filamentation, invasion, adhesion, biofilm formation, hydrolase activities) and in vivo assays.

RESULTS

The deletion of ORF19.36.1 did not significantly impact the phenotypes examined or the virulence of C. albicans in two infection models.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that, although Orf19.36.1 expression correlates with virulence, this protein is not essential for C. albicans pathobiology.

Deletion of the Candida albicans TLO gene family using CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis allows characterisation of functional differences in α-, β- and γ- TLO gene function

The Candida albicans genome contains between ten and fifteen distinct TLO genes that all encode a Med2 subunit of Mediator. In order to investigate the biological role of Med2/Tlo in C. albicans we deleted all fourteen TLO genes using CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis. ChIP-seq analysis showed that RNAP II localized to 55% fewer genes in the tloΔ mutant strain compared to the parent, while RNA-seq analysis showed that the tloΔ mutant exhibited differential expression of genes required for carbohydrate metabolism, stress responses, white-opaque switching and filamentous growth. Consequently, the tloΔ mutant grows poorly in glucose- and galactose-containing media, is unable to grow as true hyphae, is more sensitive to oxidative stress and is less virulent in the wax worm infection model. Reintegration of genes representative of the α-, β- and γ-TLO clades resulted in the complementation of the mutant phenotypes, but to different degrees. TLOα1 could restore phenotypes and gene expression patterns similar to wild-type and was the strongest activator of glycolytic and Tye7-regulated gene expression. In contrast, the two γ-TLO genes examined (i.e., TLOγ5 and TLOγ11) had a far lower impact on complementing phenotypic and transcriptomic changes. Uniquely, expression of TLOβ2 in the tloΔ mutant stimulated filamentous growth in YEPD medium and this phenotype was enhanced when Tloβ2 expression was increased to levels far in excess of Med3. In contrast, expression of reintegrated TLO genes in a tloΔ/med3Δ double mutant background failed to restore any of the phenotypes tested, suggesting that complementation of these Tlo-regulated processes requires a functional Mediator tail module. Together, these data confirm the importance of Med2/Tlo in a wide range of C. albicans cellular activities and demonstrate functional diversity within the gene family which may contribute to the success of this yeast as a coloniser and pathogen of humans.

DYRK-family kinases regulate Candida albicans morphogenesis and virulence through the Ras1/PKA pathway

IMPORTANCE

Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that frequently causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised individuals. To cause disease, the fungus employs several virulence traits, including its ability to transition between yeast and filamentous states. Previous work identified a role for the kinase Yak1 in regulating C. albicans filamentation. Here, we demonstrate that Yak1 regulates morphogenesis through the canonical cAMP/PKA pathway and that this regulation is environmentally contingent, as host-relevant concentrations of CO2 bypass the requirement of Yak1 for C. albicans morphogenesis. We show a related kinase, Pom1, is important for filamentation in the absence of Yak1 under these host-relevant conditions, as deletion of both genes blocked filamentous growth under all conditions tested. Finally, we demonstrate that Yak1 is required for filamentation in a mouse model of C. albicans dermatitis using genetic and pharmacological approaches. Overall, our results expand our understanding of how Yak1 regulates an important virulence trait in C. albicans.

RNA polymerase II dynamics and mRNA stability feedback scale mRNA amounts with cell size

A fundamental feature of cellular growth is that total protein and RNA amounts increase with cell size to keep concentrations approximately constant. A key component of this is that global transcription rates increase in larger cells. Here, we identify RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) as the limiting factor scaling mRNA transcription with cell size in budding yeast, as transcription is highly sensitive to the dosage of RNAPII but not to other components of the transcriptional machinery. Our experiments support a dynamic equilibrium model where global RNAPII transcription at a given size is set by the mass action recruitment kinetics of unengaged nucleoplasmic RNAPII to the genome. However, this only drives a sub-linear increase in transcription with size, which is then partially compensated for by a decrease in mRNA decay rates as cells enlarge. Thus, limiting RNAPII and feedback on mRNA stability work in concert to scale mRNA amounts with cell size.

Whole genome analysis of echinocandin non-susceptible Candida Glabrata clinical isolates: a multi-center study in China

BACKGROUND

Candida glabrata is an important cause of invasive candidiasis. Echinocandins are the first-line treatment of invasive candidiasis caused by C. glabrata. The epidemiological echinocandin sensitivity requires long-term surveillance and the understanding about whole genome characteristics of echinocandin non-susceptible isolates was limited.

RESULTS

The present study investigated the echinocandin susceptibility of 1650 C. glabrata clinical isolates in China from August 2014 to July 2019. The in vitro activity of micafungin was significantly better than those of caspofungin and anidulafungin (P < 0.001), assessed by MIC50/90 values. Whole genome sequencing was conducted on non-susceptible isolates and geography-matched susceptible isolates. Thirteen isolates (0.79%) were resistant to at least one echinocandin. Six isolates (0.36%) were solely intermediate to caspofungin. Common evolutionary analysis of echinocandin-resistant and echinocandin-intermediate isolates revealed genes related with reduced caspofungin sensitivity, including previously identified sphinganine hydroxylase encoding gene SUR2. Genome-wide association study identified SNPs at subtelometric regions that were associated with echinocandin non-susceptibility. In-host evolution of echinocandin resistance of serial isolates revealed an enrichment for non-synonymous mutations in adhesins genes and loss of subtelometric regions containing adhesin genes.

CONCLUSIONS

The echinocandins are highly active against C. glabrata in China with a resistant rate of 0.79%. Echinocandin non-susceptible isolates carried common evolved genes which are related with reduced caspofungin sensitivity. In-host evolution of C. glabrata accompanied intensive changing of adhesins profile.

Candida auris-macrophage cellular interactions and transcriptional response

The pathogenic yeast Candida auris represents a global threat of the utmost clinical relevance. This emerging fungal species is remarkable in its resistance to commonly used antifungal agents and its persistence in the nosocomial settings. The innate immune system is one the first lines of defense preventing the dissemination of pathogens in the host. C. auris is susceptible to circulating phagocytes, and understanding the molecular details of these interactions may suggest routes to improved therapies. In this work, we examined the interactions of this yeast with macrophages. We found that macrophages avidly phagocytose C. auris; however, intracellular replication is not inhibited, indicating that C. auris resists the killing mechanisms imposed by the phagocyte. Unlike Candida albicans, phagocytosis of C. auris does not induce macrophage lysis. The transcriptional response of C. auris to macrophage phagocytosis is very similar to other members of the CUG clade (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. lusitaniae), i.e., downregulation of transcription/translation and upregulation of alternative carbon metabolism pathways, transporters, and induction of oxidative stress response and proteolysis. Gene family expansions are common in this yeast, and we found that many of these genes are induced in response to macrophage co-incubation. Among these, amino acid and oligopeptide transporters, as well as lipases and proteases, are upregulated. Thus, C. auris shares key transcriptional signatures shared with other fungal pathogens and capitalizes on the expansion of gene families coding for potential virulence attributes that allow its survival, persistence, and evasion of the innate immune system.

Computational analysis on the dissemination of non-B DNA structural motifs in promoter regions of 1180 cellular genomes

The promoter regions of gene regulation are under evolutionary constraints and earlier studies uncovered that they are characterized by enrichment of functional non-B DNA structural signatures like curved DNA, cruciform DNA, G-quadruplex, triple-helical DNA, slipped DNA structures, and Z-DNA. However, these studies are restricted to a few model organisms, single non-B DNA motif types, or whole genomic sequences, and their comparative accumulation in promoter regions of different domains of life has not been reported comprehensively. In this study, for the first time, we investigated the preponderance of non-B DNA-prone motifs in promoter regions in 1180 genomes belonging to 28 taxonomic groups using the non-B DNA Motif Search Tool (nBMST). The trends suggest that they are predominant in promoters compared to the upstream and downstream regions of all three domains of life and variably linked to taxonomic groups. Cruciform DNA motif is the most abundant form of non-B DNA, spanning from archaea to lower eukaryotes. Curved DNA motifs are prominent in host-associated bacteria, and suppressed in mammals. Triplex-DNA and slipped DNA structure repeats are discretely dispersed in all lineages. G-quadruplex motifs are significantly enriched in mammals. We also observed that the unique enrichment of non-B DNA in promoters is strongly linked to genome GC, size, evolutionary time divergence, and ecological adaptations. Overall, our work systematically reports the unique non-B DNA structural landscape of cellular organisms from the perspective of the cis-regulatory code of genomes.

Overlooked Candida glabrata petites are echinocandin tolerant, induce host inflammatory responses, and display poor in vivo fitness

IMPORTANCE

Candida glabrata is a major fungal pathogen, which is able to lose mitochondria and form small and slow-growing colonies, called "petite." This attenuated growth rate has created controversies and questioned the clinical importance of petiteness. Herein, we have employed multiple omics technologies and in vivo mouse models to critically assess the clinical importance of petite phenotype. Our WGS identifies multiple genes potentially underpinning petite phenotype. Interestingly, petite C. glabrata cells engulfed by macrophages are dormant and, therefore, are not killed by the frontline antifungal drugs. Interestingly, macrophages infected with petite cells mount distinct transcriptomic responses. Consistent with our ex vivo observations, mitochondrial-proficient parental strains outcompete petites during systemic and gut colonization. Retrospective examination of C. glabrata isolates identified petite prevalence a rare entity, which can significantly vary from country to country. Collectively, our study overcomes the existing controversies and provides novel insights regarding the clinical relevance of petite C. glabrata isolates.

Transcriptional regulation of the synthesis and secretion of farnesol in the fungus Candida albicans: examination of the Homann transcription regulator knockout collection

Candida albicans is an efficient colonizer of human gastrointestinal tracts and skin and is an opportunistic pathogen. C. albicans exhibits morphological plasticity, and the ability to switch between yeast and filamentous morphologies is associated with virulence. One regulator of this switch is the quorum sensing molecule farnesol that is produced by C. albicans throughout growth. However, the synthesis, secretion, regulation, and turnover of farnesol are not fully understood. To address this, we used our improved farnesol assay to screen a transcription regulator knockout library for differences in farnesol accumulation in whole cultures, pellets, and supernatants. All screened mutants produced farnesol and they averaged 9.2× more farnesol in the pellet than the supernatant. Nineteen mutants had significant differences with ten mutants producing more farnesol than their SN152+ wild-type control strain while nine produced less. Seven mutants exhibited greater secretion of farnesol while two exhibited less. We examined the time course for farnesol accumulation in six mutants with the greatest accumulation differences and found that those differences persisted throughout growth and they were not time dependent. Significantly, two high-accumulating mutants did not exhibit the decay in farnesol levels during stationary phase characteristic of wild-type C. albicans, suggesting that a farnesol modification/degradation mechanism is absent in these mutants. Identifying these transcriptional regulators provides new insight into farnesol's physiological functions regarding cell cycle progression, white-opaque switching, yeast-mycelial dimorphism, and response to cellular stress.

Genotypic diversity and unrecognized antifungal resistance among populations of Candida glabrata from positive blood cultures

The longstanding model is that most bloodstream infections (BSIs) are caused by a single organism. We perform whole genome sequencing of five-to-ten strains from blood culture (BC) bottles in each of ten patients with Candida glabrata BSI. We demonstrate that BCs contain mixed populations of clonal but genetically diverse strains. Genetically distinct strains from two patients exhibit phenotypes that are potentially important during BSIs, including differences in susceptibility to antifungal agents and phagocytosis. In both patients, the clinical microbiology lab recovered a fluconazole-susceptible index strain, but we identify mixed fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant populations. Diversity in drug susceptibility is likely clinically relevant, as fluconazole-resistant strains were subsequently recovered by the clinical laboratory during persistent or relapsing infections. In one patient, unrecognized respiration-deficient small colony variants are fluconazole-resistant and significantly attenuated for virulence during murine candidiasis. Our data suggest a population-based model of C. glabrata genotypic and phenotypic diversity during BSIs.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa increases the susceptibility of Candida albicans to amphotericin B in dual-species biofilms

BACKGROUND

Biofilms are the leading cause of nosocomial infections and are hard to eradicate due to their inherent antimicrobial resistance. Candida albicans is the leading cause of nosocomial fungal infections and is frequently co-isolated with the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa from biofilms in the cystic fibrosis lung and severe burn wounds. The presence of C. albicans in multispecies biofilms is associated with enhanced antibacterial resistance, which is largely mediated through fungal extracellular carbohydrates sequestering the antibiotics. However, significantly less is known regarding the impact of polymicrobial biofilms on antifungal resistance.

RESULTS

Here we show that, in dual-species biofilms, P. aeruginosa enhances the susceptibility of C. albicans to amphotericin B, an effect that was biofilm specific. Transcriptional analysis combined with gene ontology enrichment analysis identified several C. albicans processes associated with oxidative stress to be differentially regulated in dual-species biofilms, suggesting that P. aeruginosa exerts oxidative stress on C. albicans, likely through the secretion of phenazines. However, the mitochondrial superoxide dismutase SOD2 was significantly down-regulated in the presence of P. aeruginosa. Monospecies biofilms of the sod2Δ mutant were more susceptible to amphotericin B, and the susceptibility of these biofilms was further enhanced by exogenous phenazines.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that in dual-species biofilms, P. aeruginosa simultaneously induces mitochondrial oxidative stress, while down-regulating key detoxification enzymes, which prevents C. albicans mounting an appropriate oxidative stress response to amphotericin B, leading to fungal cell death. This work highlights the importance of understanding the impact of polymicrobial interactions on antimicrobial susceptibility.

The Ypk1 protein kinase signaling pathway is rewired and not essential for viability in Candida albicans

Protein kinases are central components of almost all signaling pathways that control cellular activities. In the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the paralogous protein kinases Ypk1 and Ypk2, which control membrane lipid homeostasis, are essential for viability, and previous studies strongly indicated that this is also the case for their single ortholog Ypk1 in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. Here, using FLP-mediated inducible gene deletion, we reveal that C. albicans ypk1Δ mutants are viable but slow-growing, explaining prior failures to obtain null mutants. Phenotypic analyses of the mutants showed that the functions of Ypk1 in regulating sphingolipid biosynthesis and cell membrane lipid asymmetry are conserved, but the consequences of YPK1 deletion are milder than in S. cerevisiae. Mutational studies demonstrated that the highly conserved PDK1 phosphorylation site T548 in its activation loop is essential for Ypk1 function, whereas the TORC2 phosphorylation sites S687 and T705 at the C-terminus are important for Ypk1-dependent resistance to membrane stress. Unexpectedly, Pkh1, the single C. albicans orthologue of Pkh1/Pkh2, which mediate Ypk1 phosphorylation at the PDK1 site in S. cerevisiae, was not required for normal growth of C. albicans under nonstressed conditions, and Ypk1 phosphorylation at T548 was only slightly reduced in pkh1Δ mutants. We found that another protein kinase, Pkh3, whose ortholog in S. cerevisiae cannot substitute Pkh1/2, acts redundantly with Pkh1 to activate Ypk1 in C. albicans. No phenotypic effects were observed in cells lacking Pkh3 alone, but pkh1Δ pkh3Δ double mutants had a severe growth defect and Ypk1 phosphorylation at T548 was completely abolished. These results establish that Ypk1 is not essential for viability in C. albicans and that, despite its generally conserved function, the Ypk1 signaling pathway is rewired in this pathogenic yeast and includes a novel upstream kinase to activate Ypk1 by phosphorylation at the PDK1 site.

Overlooked Candida glabrata petites are echinocandin tolerant, induce host inflammatory responses, and display poor in vivo fitness

Small colony variants (SCVs) are relatively common among some bacterial species and are associated with poor prognosis and recalcitrant infections. Similarly, Candida glabrata - a major intracellular fungal pathogen - produces small and slow-growing respiratory-deficient colonies, termed "petite." Despite reports of clinical petite C . glabrata strains, our understanding of petite behavior in the host remains obscure. Moreover, controversies exist regarding in-host petite fitness and its clinical relevance. Herein, we employed whole-genome sequencing (WGS), dual-RNAseq, and extensive ex vivo and in vivo studies to fill this knowledge gap. WGS identified multiple petite-specific mutations in nuclear and mitochondrially-encoded genes. Consistent with dual-RNAseq data, petite C . glabrata cells did not replicate inside host macrophages and were outcompeted by their non-petite parents in macrophages and in gut colonization and systemic infection mouse models. The intracellular petites showed hallmarks of drug tolerance and were relatively insensitive to the fungicidal activity of echinocandin drugs. Petite-infected macrophages exhibited a pro-inflammatory and type I IFN-skewed transcriptional program. Interrogation of international C . glabrata blood isolates ( n =1000) showed that petite prevalence varies by country, albeit at an overall low prevalence (0-3.5%). Collectively, our study sheds new light on the genetic basis, drug susceptibility, clinical prevalence, and host-pathogen responses of a clinically overlooked phenotype in a major fungal pathogen.

Importance

Candida glabrata is a major fungal pathogen, which is able to lose mitochondria and form small and slow-growing colonies, called "petite". This attenuated growth rate has created controversies and questioned the clinical importance of petiteness. Herein, we have employed multiple omicstechnologies and in vivo mouse models to critically assess the clinical importance of petite phenotype. Our WGS identifies multiple genes potentially underpinning petite phenotype. Interestingly, petite C. glabrata cells engulfed by macrophages are dormant and therefore are not killed by the frontline antifungal drugs. Interestingly, macrophages infected with petite cells mount distinct transcriptomic responses. Consistent with our ex-vivo observations, mitochondrial-proficient parental strains outcompete petites during systemic and gut colonization. Retrospective examination of C. glabrata isolates identified petite prevalence a rare entity, can significantly vary from country to country. Collectively, our study overcomes the existing controversies and provides novel insights regarding the clinical relevance of petite C. glabrata isolates.

Grf10 regulates the response to copper, iron, and phosphate in Candida albicans

The pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans, and other microbes must be able to handle drastic changes in nutrient availability within the human host. Copper, iron, and phosphate are essential micronutrients for microbes that are sequestered by the human host as nutritional immunity; yet high copper levels are employed by macrophages to induce toxic oxidative stress. Grf10 is a transcription factor important for regulating genes involved in morphogenesis (filamentation, chlamydospore formation) and metabolism (adenylate biosynthesis, 1-carbon metabolism). The grf10Δ mutant exhibited resistance to excess copper in a gene dosage-dependent manner but grew the same as the wild type in response to other metals (calcium, cobalt, iron, manganese, and zinc). Point mutations in the conserved residues D302 and E305, within a protein interaction region, conferred resistance to high copper and induced hyphal formation similar to strains with the null allele. The grf10Δ mutant misregulated genes involved with copper, iron, and phosphate uptake in YPD medium and mounted a normal transcriptional response to high copper. The mutant accumulated lower levels of magnesium and phosphorus, suggesting that copper resistance is linked to phosphate metabolism. Our results highlight new roles for Grf10 in copper and phosphate homeostasis in C. albicans and underscore the fundamental role of Grf10 in connecting these with cell survival.

Worldwide emergence of fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis: current framework and future research roadmap

Candida parapsilosis is one of the most commen causes of life-threatening candidaemia, particularly in premature neonates, individuals with cancer of the haematopoietic system, and recipients of organ transplants. Historically, drug-susceptible strains have been linked to clonal outbreaks. However, worldwide studies started since 2018 have reported severe outbreaks among adults caused by fluconazole-resistant strains. Outbreaks caused by fluconazole-resistant strains are associated with high mortality rates and can persist despite strict infection control strategies. The emergence of resistance threatens the efficacy of azoles, which is the most widely used class of antifungals and the only available oral treatment option for candidaemia. The fact that most patients infected with fluconazole-resistant strains are azole-naive underscores the high potential adaptability of fluconazole-resistant strains to diverse hosts, environmental niches, and reservoirs. Another concern is the multidrug-resistant and echinocandin-tolerant C parapsilosis isolates, which emerged in 2020. Raising awareness, establishing effective clinical interventions, and understanding the biology and pathogenesis of fluconazole-resistant C parapsilosis are urgently needed to improve treatment strategies and outcomes.

C. albicans UME7 deletion does not have major impacts on white opaque switching, filamentation, or virulence

C. albicans is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen, and can be especially dangerous to immunocompromised individuals. One key aspect of C. albicans virulence is morphological plasticity. C. albicans can undergo a number of distinct morphological changes and these changes are controlled by complex transcriptional networks. The transcription factor Ume6 is an important member of these networks, playing an essential role mediating filamentation. C. albicans , however encodes a second UME6 homolog, UME7 . UME7 is highly conserved in the CTG fungal clade, but the role of UME7 in C. albicans biology is unknown. Here we truncate and delete C. albicans UME7 . We find Ume7 is dispensable for growth and filamentation. We also find that deletion does not have major consequences on virulence or white opaque switching. Our results suggest that under standard laboratory conditions deletion of UME7 does not have large effects on C. albicans phenotype leaving its role in C. albicans biology undefined.

Characterization of the role of Ume6 C-terminal tail in C. albicans morphological plasticity

C. albicans is an important human fungal pathogen and filamentation is essential for its virulence. Ume6 is a transcription factor critical for filamentation. Ume6 is composed of three domains, a long N terminal domain, Zn-finger domain, and a C-terminal domain. Previously, it was shown that the Zn-finger domain is essential for filamentation, as removal of this domain led to a lack of filamentation. However, the role for the C-terminal domain has not been defined. We find deletion of the C-terminal domain leads to a filamentation defect and the defect is not as severe as removal of the Zn-finger or ume6 deletion. We mutated a number of residues in the C-terminal domain to try to identify specific residues important for filamentation, but all of our mutants displayed wild type filamentation. Alpha fold predictions suggest the C-terminal domain forms a single alpha helix that is predicted to interact with the Zn-finger domain via hydrogen bond. Our data suggests the C-terminal domain binds the Zn-finger domain and through this interaction is important for filamentation.

Simultaneous Analysis of Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Oral Samples from Intubated Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Intubated patients in intensive care units (ICUs) too frequently contract ventilator-associated pneumonia or Candida infections. Oropharyngeal microbes are believed to play an important etiologic role. This study was undertaken to determine whether next-generation sequencing (NGS) can be used to simultaneously analyze bacterial and fungal communities. Buccal samples were collected from intubated ICU patients. Primers targeting the V1-V2 region of bacterial 16S rRNA and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of fungal 18S rRNA were used. V1-V2, ITS2, or mixed V1-V2/ITS2 primers were used to prepare an NGS library. Bacterial and fungal relative abundances were comparable for V1-V2, ITS2, or mixed V1-V2/ITS2 primers, respectively. A standard microbial community was used to adjust the relative abundances to theoretical abundance, and NGS and RT-PCR-adjusted relative abundances showed a high correlation. Using mixed V1-V2/ITS2 primers, bacterial and fungal abundances were simultaneously determined. The constructed microbiome network revealed novel interkingdom and intrakingdom interactions, and the simultaneous detection of bacterial and fungal communities using mixed V1-V2/ITS2 primers enabled analysis across two kingdoms. This study provides a novel approach to simultaneously determining bacterial and fungal communities using mixed V1-V2/ITS2 primers.

The Gene Ontology knowledgebase in 2023

The Gene Ontology (GO) knowledgebase (http://geneontology.org) is a comprehensive resource concerning the functions of genes and gene products (proteins and noncoding RNAs). GO annotations cover genes from organisms across the tree of life as well as viruses, though most gene function knowledge currently derives from experiments carried out in a relatively small number of model organisms. Here, we provide an updated overview of the GO knowledgebase, as well as the efforts of the broad, international consortium of scientists that develops, maintains, and updates the GO knowledgebase. The GO knowledgebase consists of three components: (1) the GO-a computational knowledge structure describing the functional characteristics of genes; (2) GO annotations-evidence-supported statements asserting that a specific gene product has a particular functional characteristic; and (3) GO Causal Activity Models (GO-CAMs)-mechanistic models of molecular "pathways" (GO biological processes) created by linking multiple GO annotations using defined relations. Each of these components is continually expanded, revised, and updated in response to newly published discoveries and receives extensive QA checks, reviews, and user feedback. For each of these components, we provide a description of the current contents, recent developments to keep the knowledgebase up to date with new discoveries, and guidance on how users can best make use of the data that we provide. We conclude with future directions for the project.

Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis of Candida glabrata Isolates from a Patient with Persistent Fungemia and Determination of the Molecular Mechanisms of Multidrug Resistance

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to determine the molecular mechanisms of multidrug resistance for 10 serial Candida glabrata bloodstream isolates obtained from a neutropenic patient during 82 days of amphotericin B (AMB) or echinocandin therapy. For WGS, a library was prepared and sequenced using a Nextera DNA Flex Kit (Illumina) and the MiseqDx (Illumina) instrument. All isolates harbored the same Msh2p substitution, V239L, associated with multilocus sequence type 7 and a Pdr1p substitution, L825P, that caused azole resistance. Of six isolates with increased AMB MICs (≥2 mg/L), three harboring the Erg6p A158fs mutation had AMB MICs ≥ 8 mg/L, and three harboring the Erg6p R314K, Erg3p G236D, or Erg3p F226fs mutation had AMB MICs of 2-3 mg/L. Four isolates harboring the Erg6p A158fs or R314K mutation had fluconazole MICs of 4-8 mg/L while the remaining six had fluconazole MICs ≥ 256 mg/L. Two isolates with micafungin MICs > 8 mg/L harbored Fks2p (I661_L662insF) and Fks1p (C499fs) mutations, while six isolates with micafungin MICs of 0.25-2 mg/L harbored an Fks2p K1357E substitution. Using WGS, we detected novel mechanisms of AMB and echinocandin resistance; we explored mechanisms that may explain the complex relationship between AMB and azole resistance.