Work

A Candida auris –specific adhesin, Scf1 , governs surface association, colonization, and virulence

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen responsible for health care–associated outbreaks that arise from persistent surface and skin colonization. We characterized the arsenal of adhesins used by C. auris and discovered an uncharacterized adhesin, Surface Colonization Factor (Scf1), and a conserved adhesin, Iff4109, that are essential for the colonization of inert surfaces and mammalian hosts. SCF1 is apparently specific to C. auris , and its expression mediates adhesion to inert and biological surfaces across isolates from all five clades. Unlike canonical fungal adhesins, which function through hydrophobic interactions, Scf1 relies on exposed cationic residues for surface association. SCF1 is required for C. auris biofilm formation, skin colonization, virulence in systemic infection, and colonization of inserted medical devices.

Source: Science

DOI: 10.1126/science.adf8972

Authors: Darian J. Santana, Juliet A. E. Anku, Guolei Zhao, Robert Zarnowski, Chad J. Johnson, Haley Hautau, Noelle D. Visser, Ashraf S. Ibrahim, David Andes, Jeniel E. Nett, Shakti Singh, Teresa R. O’Meara

Institutions: University of Michigan, University of Ghana, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of California, Los Angeles, The Lundquist Institute, Los Angeles Medical Center, Harbor–UCLA Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Antifungal resistance and susceptibility

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of California, Los Angeles

Awards: Molecular Mechanisms of Candida auris Adhesion to Abiotic Surfaces, Cross-Kingdom Vaccine Targeting Healthcare-Associated Priority Pathogens, Characterizing Candida auris skin colonization and high-burden biofilm formation, Genetic characterization of C. auris adhesion, Molecular Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenesis Training Program, G7433102004, Identification of novel virulence factors on multi-drug resistant Candida auris for vaccine development strategies, Institutional Career Development Core, Vesicle-mediated drug resistance of Candida albicans biofilm, Research Training in Experimental Immunology, Mechanism(s) of pathogenicity for Candida auris, Novel Toxins and Receptors in Mucormycosis Pathogenesis and Treatment

OpenAlex ID: W4387128705

FWCI: 27.93

Cites: 76

Cited by: 146

Related to: 10