Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch
Abstract Morphological plasticity has historically been an indicator of increased virulence among fungal pathogens, allowing rapid adaptation to changing environments. Candida auris has been identified as an emerging multidrug-resistant human pathogen of global importance. Since the discovery of thi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41426-018-0187-x |
| _version_ | 1818191027517784064 |
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| author | Huizhen Yue Jian Bing Qiushi Zheng Yulong Zhang Tianren Hu Han Du Hui Wang Guanghua Huang |
| author_facet | Huizhen Yue Jian Bing Qiushi Zheng Yulong Zhang Tianren Hu Han Du Hui Wang Guanghua Huang |
| author_sort | Huizhen Yue |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Morphological plasticity has historically been an indicator of increased virulence among fungal pathogens, allowing rapid adaptation to changing environments. Candida auris has been identified as an emerging multidrug-resistant human pathogen of global importance. Since the discovery of this species, it has been thought that C. auris is incapable of filamentous growth. Here, we report the discovery of filamentation and three distinct cell types in C. auris: typical yeast, filamentation-competent (FC) yeast, and filamentous cells. These cell types form a novel phenotypic switching system that contains a heritable (typical yeast-filament) and a nonheritable (FC-filament) switch. Intriguingly, the heritable switch between the typical yeast and the FC/filamentous phenotype is triggered by passage through a mammalian body, whereas the switch between the FC and filamentous phenotype is nonheritable and temperature-dependent. Low temperatures favor the filamentous phenotype, whereas high temperatures promote the FC yeast phenotype. Systemic in vivo and in vitro investigations were used to characterize phenotype-specific variations in global gene expression, secreted aspartyl proteinase (SAP) activity, and changes in virulence, indicating potential for niche-specific adaptations. Taken together, our study not only sheds light on the pathogenesis and biology of C. auris but also provides a novel example of morphological and epigenetic switching in fungi. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T00:08:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-614c63dad74e4a9aaffbd37b197ce675 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2222-1751 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T00:08:05Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| spelling | doaj.art-614c63dad74e4a9aaffbd37b197ce6752022-12-22T00:45:04ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512018-11-017111310.1038/s41426-018-0187-xFilamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switchHuizhen Yue0Jian Bing1Qiushi Zheng2Yulong Zhang3Tianren Hu4Han Du5Hui Wang6Guanghua Huang7State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People’s HospitalState Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Morphological plasticity has historically been an indicator of increased virulence among fungal pathogens, allowing rapid adaptation to changing environments. Candida auris has been identified as an emerging multidrug-resistant human pathogen of global importance. Since the discovery of this species, it has been thought that C. auris is incapable of filamentous growth. Here, we report the discovery of filamentation and three distinct cell types in C. auris: typical yeast, filamentation-competent (FC) yeast, and filamentous cells. These cell types form a novel phenotypic switching system that contains a heritable (typical yeast-filament) and a nonheritable (FC-filament) switch. Intriguingly, the heritable switch between the typical yeast and the FC/filamentous phenotype is triggered by passage through a mammalian body, whereas the switch between the FC and filamentous phenotype is nonheritable and temperature-dependent. Low temperatures favor the filamentous phenotype, whereas high temperatures promote the FC yeast phenotype. Systemic in vivo and in vitro investigations were used to characterize phenotype-specific variations in global gene expression, secreted aspartyl proteinase (SAP) activity, and changes in virulence, indicating potential for niche-specific adaptations. Taken together, our study not only sheds light on the pathogenesis and biology of C. auris but also provides a novel example of morphological and epigenetic switching in fungi.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41426-018-0187-x |
| spellingShingle | Huizhen Yue Jian Bing Qiushi Zheng Yulong Zhang Tianren Hu Han Du Hui Wang Guanghua Huang Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| title | Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch |
| title_full | Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch |
| title_fullStr | Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch |
| title_full_unstemmed | Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch |
| title_short | Filamentation in Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen of humans: passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch |
| title_sort | filamentation in candida auris an emerging fungal pathogen of humans passage through the mammalian body induces a heritable phenotypic switch |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1038/s41426-018-0187-x |
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