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Cited by 6Antifungal resistance and susceptibilityYeasts and Rust Fungi StudiesFungal and yeast genetics research

Phenotypic and genetic features of a novel clinically isolated rough morphotype Candida auris

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Tian, Sufei, Bing, Jian, Chu, Yunzhuo, Li, Hailong, Wang, Qihui, Cheng, Shitong, Chen, Jingjing, Shang, Hong·2023·Frontiers in Microbiology
DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1174878PMC PMC10282645
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Abstract

Introduction: Candida auris is a newly emerging pathogenic fungus of global concern and has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a member of the critical group of the most health-threatening fungi. Methods: This study reveals and reports for the first time that a rough morphotype C. auris strain causes urinary tract infections in non-intensive care unit (ICU) inpatients. Furthermore, the morphology, the scanning electronmicroscopy (SEM), Whole-genome resequencing and RNA sequencing of C. auris possessing rough morphotype colonies compared to their smooth morphotype counterparts. Results: The newly identified phenotypic variation of C. auris appears round, convex, dry, and burr-like with a rough texture. SEM shows that rough type C. auris has a rough and uneven colony surface with radial wrinkles and irregular spore arrangement. Cells of the rough morphotype C. auris naturally aggregate into clusters with tight connections in the liquid, and it seems that the cell division is incomplete. A genome-wide analysis of the rough type C. auris confirmed its genetic association with the smooth type of C. auris prevalent in China (Shenyang) two years ago; however, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations of five genes (ACE2, IFF6, RER2, UTP20, and CaO19.5847) were identified more recently. RNA-seq revealed IFF2/HYR3, DAL5, PSA31, and SIT1 were notably up-regulated, while multiple cell wall-associated genes (ALS1, MNN1, PUL1, DSE1, SCW11, PGA38, RBE1, FGR41, BGLI, GIT3, CEP3, and SAP2) were consistently down-regulated in rough morphotype C. auris. Discussion: The rough phenotypic variation of C. auris is likely to be related to the structural and functional changes in cell wall proteins. This novel rough morphotype C. auris will provide a basis for further studies concerning the evolutionary characteristics of C. auris.

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  • Clinical isolates of C. auris that harbor ACE single-nucleotide polymorphisms form rough, adherent colonies.

    “Recent reports showed that clinical isolates of C. auris that harbor ACE single-nucleotide polymorphisms form rough, adherent colonies [112].”

    From Host–Candida auris interactions in the skin (2026) · cites this paper as [112]

    The Results (Microbiological characteristics; Phylogenetic analysis) describe two clinical rough-morphotype isolates with ACE2 mutations and tightly connected, aggregating cells. They do not establish that the colonies are adherent, and the Discussion says further experiments are needed to determine whether the ACE2 mutation is associated with the rough phenotype. The paper identifies the gene as ACE2, not ACE. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Clinical isolates of C. auris with rough morphological colonies were reported to harbor single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the ACE2 locus.

    “Recent evidence suggests that the clinical isolates of C. auris with rough morphological colonies were reported to harbor single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the ACE2 locus (19).”

    From Cell aggregation mediated by <i>ACE2</i> deletion in <i>Candida auris</i> modulates fungal colonization and host immune responses in the skin (2024) · cites this paper as [19]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Tian, S., Bing, J., Chu, Y., Li, H., Wang, Q., Cheng, S., Chen, J., & Shang, H.
Affiliations
  • First Hospital of China Medical University (CN)
  • Fudan University (CN)
Corresponding author
Shang, Hong
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Microbiology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2023-06-07
Volume
14
Pages
1174878-1174878
ISSN
1664-302X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fmicb.2023.1174878
PMC
PMC10282645
OpenAlex
W4379796491
Cited by
6
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2024: 3
FWCI
1.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Microbiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Key Research and Development Program of China
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Yeasts and Rust Fungi Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Fungal and yeast genetics research
Keywords
Candida auris, fungal morphology, urinary tract infection, cell wall proteins, single nucleotide polymorphisms, gene expression, whole-genome resequencing, emerging fungal pathogens

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