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A PWWP domain-containing protein Crf4-3 specifically modulates fungal azole susceptibility by regulating sterol C-14 demethylase ERG11

ABSTRACT: The widespread use of azole antifungal drugs in agriculture and clinical settings has led to serious drug resistance issues. Under azole treatment, resistant strains can upregulate the expression of the azole drug target 14α-demethylase ERG11 through transcription factors to alleviate the stress induced by sterol synthesis inhibition, which is a common resistance mechanism. Additionally, the currently reported regulatory factors related to resistance are not sufficient to explain all resistance issues. In this study, we constructed a GFP gene reporter system based on the erg11 promoter in the model filamentous fungus, Neurospora crassa, and identified a key region of the promoter that governs the erg11 response to azole drug by stepwise deletion. Using specific probes for DNA pulldown and combined with phenotype analysis, we identified a protein, Crf4-3, containing a PWWP domain that has a positive regulatory effect. Specific deletion of Crf4-3 leads to hypersensitivity to azole drugs and loss of transcriptional response of erg11 and erg6 to ketoconazole. Furthermore, the basal expression of erg1, erg11, erg25, and erg3A is affected by the deletion of crf4-3. Crf4-3 homologs are widely present in the Pezizomycotina fungi. Deletion of the homologous protein of Crf4-3 in Aspergillus fumigatus also significantly reduced sensitivity to azole drugs like voriconazole by reducing the transcriptional response of erg11. In summary, our study revealed a new regulatory factor Crf4-3 involved in the azole stress response in filamentous fungi and its mechanism, providing new insights into understanding the mechanisms of azole drug resistance.

ORGANISM(S): Neurospora crassa

PROVIDER: GSE272185 | GEO | 2024/09/15

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:In the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, the zinc cluster transcription factor Upc2p has been shown to regulate expression of ERG11 and other genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis upon exposure to azole antifungals. ERG11 encodes lanosterol demethylase, the target enzyme of this antifungal class. Over-expression of UPC2 reduces azole susceptibility, whereas its disruption results in hypersusceptibility to azoles and reduced accumulation of exogenous sterols. Constitutive up-regulation of ERG11 is a major cause of resistance to fluconazole in clinical isolates of C. albicans, yet the mechanism for this has yet to be determined. Using genome-wide gene expression profiling, we found UPC2 and other genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis to be coordinately up-regulated with ERG11 in a fluconazole resistant clinical isolate as compared with a matched susceptible isolate from the same patient. Sequence analysis of the UPC2 alleles of these isolates revealed that the resistant isolate contained a single nucleotide substitution in one UPC2 allele that resulted in a G648D exchange in the encoded protein. Introduction of the mutated allele into a drug susceptible strain resulted in constitutive up-regulation of ERG11 and increased resistance to fluconazole. By comparing the gene expression profiles of the fluconazole resistant isolate and of strains carrying wild-type and mutated UPC2 alleles, we identified target genes that are controlled by Upc2p. Here we show for the first time that a gain-of-function mutation in UPC2 leads to increased expression of ERG11 and imparts resistance to fluconazole in clinical isolates of C. albicans. Keywords: genome-wide expression profiling Clinical isolates S1 (susceptible) and S2 (resistant), genome strain SC5314, UPC2 disruption strains (UPC2M4A and UPC2M4B), UPC2 re-integrant strains of non-mutated UPC2 allele (UPC2M2K21A and UPC2M2K21B), and UPC2 re-integrant strains of mutated UPC2 allele (UPC2M2K31A and UPC2M2K31B) were grown for 3 hours until log phase. RNA was extracted for each isolate/strain. Experiments were performed in duplicate.

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A PWWP domain-containing protein Crf4-3 specifically modulates fungal azole susceptibility by regulating sterol C-14 demethylase ERG11

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