A Zinc Cluster Transcription Factor Contributes to the Intrinsic Fluconazole Resistance of Candida auris

Abstract

Candida auris is a recently emerged pathogenic yeast that within a few years after its initial description has spread all over the globe. C. auris is a major concern for human health, because it can cause life-threatening systemic infections, is easily transmissible, and is difficult to eradicate from hospital environments. Furthermore, C. auris is highly drug resistant, especially against the widely used antifungal drug fluconazole. Mutations in the drug target and high activity of efflux pumps are associated with azole resistance, but it is not known how drug resistance genes are regulated in C. auris . We have investigated the potential role of several candidate transcriptional regulators in the intrinsic fluconazole resistance of C. auris and identified a transcription factor that contributes to the high resistance to fluconazole and voriconazole of two C. auris strains from different genetic clades, thereby providing insight into the molecular basis of drug resistance of this medically important yeast.