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Relationships between Secreted Aspartyl Proteinase 2 and General Control Nonderepressible 4 gene in the Candida albicans resistant to itraconazole under planktonic and biofilm conditions

  • Bacterial and Fungal Pathogenesis - Research Paper
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Abstract

This study aimed to explore the roles of SAP2 and GCN4 in itraconazole (ITR) resistance of C. albicans under different conditions, and their correlations. A total of 20 clinical strains of C. albicans, including 10 ITR resistant strains and 10 sensitive strains, were used. Then, SAP2 sequencing and GCN4 sequencing were performed, and the biofilm formation ability of different C. albicans strains was determined. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression of SAP2 and GCN4 in C. albicans under planktonic and biofilm conditions, as well as their correlation was also analyzed. No missense mutations and three synonymous mutation sites, including T276A, G543A, and A675C, were found in SAP2 sequencing. GCN4 sequencing showed one missense mutation site (A106T (T36S)) and six synonymous mutation sites (A147C, C426T, T513C, T576A, G624A and C732T). The biofilm formation ability of drug-resistant C. albicans strains was significantly higher than that of sensitive strains (P < 0.05). Additionally, SAP2 and GCN4 were up-regulated in the ITR-resistant strains, and were both significantly higher in C. albicans under biofilm condition. The mRNA expression levels of SAP2 and GCN4 had significantly positive correlation. The higher expression levels of SAP2 and GCN4 were observed in the ITR-resistant strains of C. albicans under planktonic and biofilm conditions, as well as there was a positive correlation between SAP2 and GCN4 mRNA expression.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was supported by the General Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project number: 82072262), and Research and Development Key Projects of Shanxi Province (Project number: 201903D321123), Scientific and Technological Activities funding program for Overseas Students of Shanxi Province (Project number:20210030), and Research Project Supported by Shanxi Scholarship Council of China (Project number: 2020–190).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Dermatovenereology, The Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, NO.382, Wuyi Road, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China

    Wenli Feng, Jing Yang, Yan Ma, Luwen Zhang, Rong Yin & Zusha Qiao

  2. The Department of Bluttranfusion, The Second Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China

    Ying Ji & Yong’an Zhou

Authors
  1. Wenli Feng
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  2. Jing Yang
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  3. Yan Ma
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  4. Luwen Zhang
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  5. Rong Yin
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  6. Zusha Qiao
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  7. Ying Ji
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Contributions

Wenli Feng and Jing Yang designed the research. Wenli Feng, Jing Yang, Yan Ma, Luwen Zhang, and Rong Yin did the experiment and obtained the data. Zusha Qiao, Ying Ji, and Yong’an Zhou analyzed and explained the data. Wenli Feng and Jing Yang drafted and revised the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version.

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Correspondence to Wenli Feng or Jing Yang.

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This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (approval no. (2019)YX no. 073).

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Feng, W., Yang, J., Ma, Y. et al. Relationships between Secreted Aspartyl Proteinase 2 and General Control Nonderepressible 4 gene in the Candida albicans resistant to itraconazole under planktonic and biofilm conditions. Braz J Microbiol 54, 619–627 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-023-00961-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-023-00961-z

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