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Mesquida A, Alcoceba E, Padilla E, Ramírez A, Merino P, González-Romo F, De Carolis E, Sanguinetti M, Mantecón-Vallejo MDLÁ, Muñoz-Algarra M, Durán-Valle T, Pérez-Ayala A, Gómez-García-de-la-Pedrosa E, Del Carmen Martínez-Jiménez M, Sánchez-Castellano MÁ, Quiles-Melero I, Cuétara MS, Sánchez-García A, Muñoz P, Escribano P, Guinea J. Fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis genotypes from hospitals located in five Spanish cities and one in Italy: Description of azole-resistance profiles associated with the Y132F ERG11p substitution. Mycoses 2024; 67:e13706. [PMID: 38438313 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fluconazole-resistant Candida parapsilosis is a matter of concern. OBJECTIVES To describe fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis genotypes circulating across hospitals in Spain and Rome and to study their azole-resistance profile associated with ERG11p substitutions. PATIENTS/METHODS We selected fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis isolates (n = 528 from 2019 to 2023; MIC ≥8 mg/L according to EUCAST) from patients admitted to 13 hospitals located in five Spanish cities and Rome. Additionally, we tested voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole, amphotericin B, micafungin, anidulafungin and ibrexafungerp susceptibility. RESULTS Of the 53 genotypes found, 49 harboured the Y132F substitution, five of which were dominating city-specific genotypes involving almost half the isolates. Another genotype involved isolates harbouring the G458S substitution. Finally, we found two genotypes with the wild-type ERG11 gene sequence and one with the R398I substitution. All isolates were fully susceptible/wild-type to amphotericin B, anidulafungin, micafungin and ibrexafungerp. The azole-resistance patterns found were: voriconazole-resistant (74.1%) or voriconazole-intermediate (25.2%), posaconazole-resistant (10%) and isavuconazole non-wild-type (47.5%). Fluconazole-resistant and voriconazole non-wild-type isolates were likely to harbour substitution Y132F if posaconazole was wild type; however, if posaconazole was non-wild type, substitution G458S was indicated if isavuconazole MIC was >0.125 mg/L or substitution Y132F if isavuconazole MIC was ≤0.125 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS We detected a recent clonal spread of fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis across some cities in Spain, mostly driven by dominating city-specific genotypes, which involved a large number of isolates harbouring the Y132F ERG11p substitution. Isolates harbouring substitution Y132F can be suspected because they are non-susceptible to voriconazole and rarely posaconazole-resistant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina Mesquida
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Alcoceba
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitari Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | | | - Aída Ramírez
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paloma Merino
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando González-Romo
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena De Carolis
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Sanguinetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - María Muñoz-Algarra
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda, Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Teresa Durán-Valle
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Móstoles, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Ana Pérez-Ayala
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elia Gómez-García-de-la-Pedrosa
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - María Soledad Cuétara
- Clinical Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Spain
| | - Aída Sánchez-García
- Laboratorio Central de la CAM-UR Salud-Hospital Infanta Sofía, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Muñoz
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Escribano
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Health Sciences - HM Hospitals, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Guinea
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias-CIBERES (CB06/06/0058), Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Health Sciences - HM Hospitals, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, Spain
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Moreau J, Noël T, Point K, Tewes F, Deroche L, Clarhaut J, Fitton-Ouhabi V, Perraud E, Marchand S, Buyck JM, Brunet K. Pan-azole-resistant Meyerozyma guilliermondii clonal isolates harbouring a double F126L and L505F mutation in Erg11. Mycoses 2024; 67:e13704. [PMID: 38429226 DOI: 10.1111/myc.13704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meyerozyma guilliermondii is a yeast species responsible for invasive fungal infections. It has high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to echinocandins, the first-line treatment of candidemia. In this context, azole antifungal agents are frequently used. However, in recent years, a number of azole-resistant strains have been described. Their mechanisms of resistance are currently poorly studied. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was consequently to understand the mechanisms of azole resistance in several clinical isolates of M. guilliermondii. METHODS Ten isolates of M. guilliermondii and the ATCC 6260 reference strain were studied. MICs of azoles were determined first. Whole genome sequencing of the isolates was then carried out and the mutations identified in ERG11 were expressed in a CTG clade yeast model (C. lusitaniae). RNA expression of ERG11, MDR1 and CDR1 was evaluated by quantitative PCR. A phylogenic analysis was developed and performed on M. guilliermondii isolates. Lastly, in vitro experiments on fitness cost and virulence were carried out. RESULTS Of the ten isolates tested, three showed pan-azole resistance. A combination of F126L and L505F mutations in Erg11 was highlighted in these three isolates. Interestingly, a combination of these two mutations was necessary to confer azole resistance. An overexpression of the Cdr1 efflux pump was also evidenced in one strain. Moreover, the three pan-azole-resistant isolates were shown to be genetically related and not associated with a fitness cost or a lower virulence, suggesting a possible clonal transmission. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study identified an original combination of ERG11 mutations responsible for pan-azole-resistance in M. guilliermondii. Moreover, we proposed a new MLST analysis for M. guilliermondii that identified possible clonal transmission of pan-azole-resistant strains. Future studies are needed to investigate the distribution of this clone in hospital environment and should lead to the reconsideration of the treatment for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Moreau
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
| | - Thierry Noël
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, UMR 5234, Bordeaux, France
| | - Kévin Point
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
| | - Frédéric Tewes
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
| | - Luc Deroche
- CHU de Poitiers, Service de Virologie, Poitiers, France
| | - Jonathan Clarhaut
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
- CHU de Poitiers, Service de Toxicologie-Pharmacocinétique, Poitiers, France
| | - Valérie Fitton-Ouhabi
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, UMR 5234, Bordeaux, France
| | - Estelle Perraud
- CHU de Poitiers, Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Poitiers, France
| | - Sandrine Marchand
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
- CHU de Poitiers, Service de Toxicologie-Pharmacocinétique, Poitiers, France
| | - Julien M Buyck
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
| | - Kévin Brunet
- Université de Poitiers, INSERM U1070 PHAR2, Poitiers, France
- CHU de Poitiers, Service de Parasitologie et Mycologie Médicale, Poitiers, France
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Schikora-Tamarit MÀ, Gabaldón T. Recent gene selection and drug resistance underscore clinical adaptation across Candida species. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:284-307. [PMID: 38177305 PMCID: PMC10769879 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01547-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Àngel Schikora-Tamarit
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Barcelona, Spain.
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Henriques J, Mixão V, Cabrita J, Duarte TI, Sequeira T, Cardoso S, Germano N, Dias L, Bento L, Duarte S, Veríssimo C, Gomes JP, Sabino R. Candida auris in Intensive Care Setting: The First Case Reported in Portugal. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:837. [PMID: 37623608 PMCID: PMC10455255 DOI: 10.3390/jof9080837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an opportunistic human pathogen that has rapidly spread to multiple countries and continents and has been associated with a high number of nosocomial outbreaks. Herein, we report the first case of C. auris in Portugal, which was associated with a patient transferred from Angola to an ICU in Portugal for liver transplantation after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. C. auris was isolated during the course of bronchoalveolar lavage, and it was subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequence analysis. This isolate presents low susceptibility to azoles and belongs to the genetic clade III with a phylogenetic placement close to African isolates. Although clade III has already been reported in Europe, taking into account the patient's clinical history, we cannot discard the possibility that the patient's colonization/infection occurred in Angola, prior to admission in the Portuguese hospital. Considering that C. auris is a fungal pathogen referenced by WHO as a critical priority, this case reinforces the need for continuous surveillance in a hospital setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Henriques
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Verónica Mixão
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Joana Cabrita
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Tiago Isidoro Duarte
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Tânia Sequeira
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Sofia Cardoso
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Nuno Germano
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Liliana Dias
- Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial Stewardship, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Luís Bento
- Intensive Care Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central, 1150-199 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.H.); (J.C.); (T.I.D.); (T.S.); (S.C.); (N.G.); (L.B.)
| | - Sílvia Duarte
- Innovation and Technology Unit, Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Cristina Veríssimo
- Reference Unit for Parasitic and Fungal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - João Paulo Gomes
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Raquel Sabino
- Reference Unit for Parasitic and Fungal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado TERRA–Laboratório para o Uso Sustentável da Terra e dos Serviços dos Ecossistemas, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
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Functional Expression of Recombinant Candida auris Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Enables Azole Susceptibility Evaluation and Drug Discovery. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9020168. [PMID: 36836283 PMCID: PMC9960696 DOI: 10.3390/jof9020168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Candida auris infections are difficult to treat due to acquired drug resistance against one or multiple antifungal drug classes. The most prominent resistance mechanisms in C. auris are overexpression and point mutations in Erg11, and the overexpression of efflux pump genes CDR1 and MDR1. We report the establishment of a novel platform for molecular analysis and drug screening based on acquired azole-resistance mechanisms found in C. auris. Constitutive functional overexpression of wild-type C. auris Erg11, Erg11 with amino acid substitutions Y132F or K143R and the recombinant efflux pumps Cdr1 and Mdr1 has been achieved in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Phenotypes were evaluated for standard azoles and the tetrazole VT-1161. Overexpression of CauErg11 Y132F, CauErg11 K143R, and CauMdr1 conferred resistance exclusively to the short-tailed azoles Fluconazole and Voriconazole. Strains overexpressing the Cdr1 protein were pan-azole resistant. While CauErg11 Y132F increased VT-1161 resistance, K143R had no impact. Type II binding spectra showed tight azole binding to the affinity-purified recombinant CauErg11 protein. The Nile Red assay confirmed the efflux functions of CauMdr1 and CauCdr1, which were specifically inhibited by MCC1189 and Beauvericin, respectively. CauCdr1 exhibited ATPase activity that was inhibited by Oligomycin. The S. cerevisiae overexpression platform enables evaluation of the interaction of existing and novel azole drugs with their primary target CauErg11 and their susceptibility to drug efflux.
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Healey KR, Singh A. Heterologous Expression of Candida Antifungal Target Genes in the Model Organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2658:181-190. [PMID: 37024702 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3155-3_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how a gene variant may influence antifungal resistance, or other phenotypic characteristics, is an important step in determining or dissecting resistance mechanisms. The influence of specific genes or gene alleles on a phenotype can initially be assessed within the model organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S. cerevisiae exhibits efficient rates of homologous recombination making it amendable for heterologous expression and represents a susceptible organism that can be used to determine changes in antifungal susceptibilities. Many groups have developed different methodologies for the cloning, expression, and screening processes. In this chapter, we present straightforward methodology that utilizes gap-repair cloning to express a plasmid-borne copy of Candida auris ERG11 within S. cerevisiae. Multiple alleles can be compared in order to determine how specific alterations influence triazole susceptibility. Primer design, gap-repair co-transformation, and colony PCR screening are detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelley R Healey
- Department of Biology, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USA.
| | - Ashutosh Singh
- Medical Mycology Unit, Department of Microbiology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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Smith DFQ, Mudrak NJ, Zamith-Miranda D, Honorato L, Nimrichter L, Chrissian C, Smith B, Gerfen G, Stark RE, Nosanchuk JD, Casadevall A. Melanization of Candida auris Is Associated with Alteration of Extracellular pH. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:1068. [PMID: 36294632 PMCID: PMC9604884 DOI: 10.3390/jof8101068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is a recently emerged global fungal pathogen, which causes life-threatening infections, often in healthcare settings. C. auris infections are worrisome because the fungus is often resistant to multiple antifungal drug classes. Furthermore, C. auris forms durable and difficult to remove biofilms. Due to the relatively recent, resilient, and resistant nature of C. auris, we investigated whether it produces the common fungal virulence factor melanin. Melanin is a black-brown pigment typically produced following enzymatic oxidation of aromatic precursors, which promotes fungal virulence through oxidative stress resistance, mammalian immune response evasion, and antifungal peptide and pharmaceutical inactivation. We found that certain strains of C. auris oxidized L-DOPA and catecholamines into melanin. Melanization occurred extracellularly in a process mediated by alkalinization of the extracellular environment, resulting in granule-like structures that adhere to the fungus' external surface. C. auris had relatively high cell surface hydrophobicity, but there was no correlation between hydrophobicity and melanization. Melanin protected the fungus from oxidative damage, but we did not observe a protective role during infection of macrophages or Galleria mellonella larvae. In summary, C. auris alkalinizes the extracellular medium, which promotes the non-enzymatic oxidation of L-DOPA to melanin that attaches to its surface, thus illustrating a novel mechanism for fungal melanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Q. Smith
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Nathan J. Mudrak
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Krieger School of Arts & Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Daniel Zamith-Miranda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Leandro Honorato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Nimrichter
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia de Eucariotos, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Christine Chrissian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Barbara Smith
- Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences Microscope Facility, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Gary Gerfen
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ruth E. Stark
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York and CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Joshua D. Nosanchuk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Transcriptional Response of Candida auris to the Mrr1 Inducers Methylglyoxal and Benomyl. mSphere 2022; 7:e0012422. [PMID: 35473297 PMCID: PMC9241502 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00124-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is an urgent threat to human health due to its rapid spread in health care settings and its repeated development of multidrug resistance. Diseases that increase risk for C. auris infection, such as diabetes, kidney failure, or immunocompromising conditions, are associated with elevated levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a reactive dicarbonyl compound derived from several metabolic processes. In other Candida species, expression of MG reductase enzymes that catabolize and detoxify MG are controlled by Mrr1, a multidrug resistance-associated transcription factor, and MG induces Mrr1 activity. Here, we used transcriptomics and genetic assays to determine that C. aurisMRR1a contributes to MG resistance, and that the main Mrr1a targets are an MG reductase and MDR1, which encodes a drug efflux protein. The C. auris Mrr1a regulon is smaller than Mrr1 regulons described in other species. In addition to MG, benomyl (BEN), a known Mrr1 stimulus, induces C. auris Mrr1 activity, and characterization of the MRR1a-dependent and -independent transcriptional responses revealed substantial overlap in genes that were differentially expressed in response to each compound. Additionally, we found that an MRR1 allele specific to one C. auris phylogenetic clade, clade III, encodes a hyperactive Mrr1 variant, and this activity correlated with higher MG resistance. C. aurisMRR1a alleles were functional in Candida lusitaniae and were inducible by BEN, but not by MG, suggesting that the two Mrr1 inducers act via different mechanisms. Together, the data presented in this work contribute to the understanding of Mrr1 activity and MG resistance in C. auris. IMPORTANCECandida auris is a fungal pathogen that has spread since its identification in 2009 and is of concern due to its high incidence of resistance against multiple classes of antifungal drugs. In other Candida species, the transcription factor Mrr1 plays a major role in resistance against azole antifungals and other toxins. More recently, Mrr1 has been recognized to contribute to resistance to methylglyoxal (MG), a toxic metabolic product that is often elevated in different disease states. MG can activate Mrr1 and its induction of Mdr1 which can protect against diverse challenges. The significance of this work lies in showing that MG is also an inducer of Mrr1 in C. auris, and that one of the major pathogenic C. auris lineages has an activating Mrr1 mutation that confers protection against MG.
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