scholarly journals Interrogation of Related Clinical Pan-Azole-Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus Strains: G138C, Y431C, and G434C Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms incyp51A, Upregulation ofcyp51A, and Integration and Activation of TransposonAtf1in thecyp51APromoter

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 5113-5121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Albarrag ◽  
Michael J. Anderson ◽  
Susan J. Howard ◽  
Geoff D. Robson ◽  
Peter A. Warn ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMultipleAspergillus fumigatusisolates from a patient with two aspergillomas complicating chronic pulmonary aspergillosis were pan-azole resistant. Microsatellite typing was identical for all isolates despite major phenotypic and some growth rate differences. Three differentcyp51Amutations were found (G138C, Y431C, and G434C), of which the first two were demonstrated by heterologous expression in a hypersusceptibleSaccharomyces cerevisiaestrain to be at least partly responsible for elevated MICs.cyp51Aandcyp51Bgene duplication was excluded, but increased expression ofcyp51Awas demonstrated in three isolates selected for additional study (7-to 13-fold increases). In the isolate with the greatestcyp51Aexpression, anAft1transposon was found inserted 370 bp upstream of the start codon of thecyp51Agene, an integration location never previously demonstrated inAspergillus. Two transcription start sites were identified at 49 and 136 bp upstream of the start codon. The role of theAft1transposon, if any, in modulatingcyp51Aexpression remains to be established. Increased mRNA expression of the transportersAfuMDR1andAfuMDR4also was demonstrated in some isolates, which could contribute to azole resistance or simply represent a stress response. The diversity of confirmed and possible azole resistance mechanisms demonstrated in a single series of isogenic isolates is remarkable, indicating the ability ofA. fumigatusto adapt in the clinical setting.

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (11) ◽  
pp. 5658-5664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soo-Jin Yang ◽  
Nagendra N. Mishra ◽  
Aileen Rubio ◽  
Arnold S. Bayer

ABSTRACTSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within themprFopen reading frame (ORF) have been commonly observed in daptomycin-resistant (DAPr)Staphylococcus aureusstrains. Such SNPs are usually associated with a gain-in-function phenotype, in terms of either increased synthesis or enhanced translocation (flipping) of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (L-PG). However, it is unclear if suchmprFSNPs are causal in DAPrstrains or are merely a biomarker for this phenotype. In this study, we used an isogenic set ofS. aureusstrains: (i) Newman, (ii) its isogenic ΔmprFmutant, and (iii) several intransplasmid complementation constructs, expressing either a wild-type or point-mutated form of themprFORF cloned from two isogenic DAP-susceptible (DAPs)-DAPrstrain pairs (616-701 and MRSA11/11-REF2145). Complementation of the ΔmprFstrain with singly point-mutatedmprFgenes (mprFS295LormprFT345A) revealed that (i) individual and distinct point mutations within themprFORF can recapitulate phenotypes observed in donor strains (i.e., changes in DAP MICs, positive surface charge, and cell membrane phospholipid profiles) and (ii) these gain-in-function SNPs (i.e., enhanced L-PG synthesis) likely promote reduced DAP binding toS. aureusby a charge repulsion mechanism. Thus, for these two DAPrstrains, the definedmprFSNPs appear to be causally related to this phenotype.


2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 5420-5426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florencia Leonardelli ◽  
Daiana Macedo ◽  
Catiana Dudiuk ◽  
Matias S. Cabeza ◽  
Soledad Gamarra ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAspergillus fumigatusintrinsic fluconazole resistance has been demonstrated to be linked to theCYP51Agene, although the precise molecular mechanism has not been elucidated yet. Comparisons betweenA. fumigatusCyp51Ap andCandida albicansErg11p sequences showed differences in amino acid residues already associated with fluconazole resistance inC. albicans. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of the natural polymorphism I301 inAspergillus fumigatusCyp51Ap in the intrinsic fluconazole resistance phenotype of this pathogen. The I301 residue inA. fumigatusCyp51Ap was replaced with a threonine (analogue to T315 atCandida albicansfluconazole-susceptible Erg11p) by changing one single nucleotide in theCYP51Agene. Also, aCYP51Aknockout strain was obtained using the same parental strain. Both mutants' antifungal susceptibilities were tested. The I301T mutant exhibited a lower level of resistance to fluconazole (MIC, 20 μg/ml) than the parental strain (MIC, 640 μg/ml), while no changes in MIC were observed for other azole- and non-azole-based drugs. These data strongly implicate theA. fumigatusCyp51Ap I301 residue in the intrinsic resistance to fluconazole.


2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 387-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faezeh Mohammadi ◽  
Seyed Jamal Hashemi ◽  
Jan Zoll ◽  
Willem J. G. Melchers ◽  
Haleh Rafati ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWe employed an endpoint genotyping method to update the prevalence rate of positivity for the TR34/L98H mutation (a 34-bp tandem repeat mutation in the promoter region of thecyp51Agene in combination with a substitution at codon L98) and the TR46/Y121F/T289A mutation (a 46-bp tandem repeat mutation in the promoter region of thecyp51Agene in combination with substitutions at codons Y121 and T289) among clinicalAspergillus fumigatusisolates obtained from different regions of Iran over a recent 5-year period (2010 to 2014). The antifungal activities of itraconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole against 172 clinicalA. fumigatusisolates were investigated using the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) broth microdilution method. For the isolates with an azole resistance phenotype, thecyp51Agene and its promoter were amplified and sequenced. In addition, using a LightCycler 480 real-time PCR system, a novel endpoint genotyping analysis method targeting single-nucleotide polymorphisms was evaluated to detect the L98H and Y121F mutations in thecyp51Agene of all isolates. Of the 172A. fumigatusisolates tested, the MIC values of itraconazole (≥16 mg/liter) and voriconazole (>4 mg/liter) were high for 6 (3.5%). Quantitative analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms showed the TR34/L98H mutation in thecyp51Agenes of six isolates. No isolates harboring the TR46/Y121F/T289A mutation were detected. DNA sequencing of thecyp51Agene confirmed the results of the novel endpoint genotyping method. By microsatellite typing, all of the azole-resistant isolates had genotypes different from those previously recovered from Iran and from the Dutch TR34/L98H controls. In conclusion, there was not a significant increase in the prevalence of azole-resistantA. fumigatusisolates harboring the TR34/L98H resistance mechanism among isolates recovered over a recent 5-year period (2010 to 2014) in Iran. A quantitative assay detecting a single-nucleotide polymorphism in thecyp51Agene ofA. fumigatusis a reliable tool for the rapid screening and monitoring of TR34/L98H- and TR46/Y121F/T289A-positive isolates and can easily be incorporated into clinical mycology algorithms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 5878-5884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Chen ◽  
Zhongyi Lu ◽  
Jingjun Zhao ◽  
Ziying Zou ◽  
Yanwen Gong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAzole resistance inAspergillus fumigatushas emerged as a worldwide public health problem. We sought here to demonstrate the occurrence and characteristics of azole resistance inA. fumigatusfrom different parts of China. A total of 317 clinical and 144 environmentalA. fumigatusisolates from 12 provinces were collected and subjected to screening for azole resistance. Antifungal susceptibility,cyp51Agene sequencing, and genotyping were carried out for all suspected azole-resistant isolates and a subset of azole-susceptible isolates. As a result, 8 (2.5%) clinical and 2 (1.4%) environmentalA. fumigatusisolates were identified as azole resistant. Five azole-resistant strains exhibit the TR34/L98H mutation, whereas four carry the TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I mutation in thecyp51Agene. Genetic typing and phylogenetic analysis showed that there was a worldwide clonal expansion of the TR34/L98H isolates, while the TR34/L98H/S297T/F495I isolates from China harbored a distinct genetic background with resistant isolates from other countries. High polymorphisms existed in thecyp51Agene that produced amino acid changes among azole-susceptibleA. fumigatusisolates, with N248K being the most common mutation. These data suggest that the wide distribution of azole-resistantA. fumigatusmight be attributed to the environmental resistance mechanisms in China.


2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alba Pérez-Cantero ◽  
Loida López-Fernández ◽  
Josep Guarro ◽  
Javier Capilla

ABSTRACT Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe condition mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, although other species of the genus, such as section Nigri members, can also be involved. Voriconazole (VRC) is the recommended treatment for IA; however, the prevalence of azole-resistant Aspergillus isolates has alarmingly increased in recent years, and the underlying resistance mechanisms in non-fumigatus species remain unclear. We have determined the in vitro susceptibility of 36 strains from section Nigri to VRC, posaconazole (POS), and itraconazole (ITC), and we have explored the role of Cyp51A and Cyp51B, both targets of azoles, in azole resistance. The three drugs were highly active; POS displayed the best in vitro activity, while ITC and VRC showed MICs above the established epidemiological cutoff values in 9 and 16% of the strains, respectively. Furthermore, expression studies of cyp51A and cyp51B in control condition and after VRC exposure were performed in 14 strains with different VRC susceptibility. We found higher transcription of cyp51A, which was upregulated upon VRC exposure, but no correlation between MICs and cyp51 transcription levels was observed. In addition, cyp51A sequence analyses revealed nonsynonymous mutations present in both, wild-type and non-wild-type strains of A. niger and A. tubingensis. Nevertheless, a few mutations were exclusively present in non-wild-type A. tubingensis strains. Altogether, our results suggest that azole resistance in section Nigri is not clearly explained by Cyp51A protein alteration or by cyp51 gene upregulation, which indicates that other mechanisms might be involved.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermina Isla ◽  
Florencia Leonardelli ◽  
Iris N. Tiraboschi ◽  
Nicolás Refojo ◽  
Alejandra Hevia ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT One of the most recently described Aspergillus fumigatus CYP51A-mediated azole resistance mechanisms is TR46 Y121F T289A. Clinical A. fumigatus strains harboring these substitutions have been reported worldwide, with the exception of South America. We describe the first clinical A. fumigatus strain with this resistance mechanism isolated from an Argentinian patient. The strain was isolated in 2009 (1 year after the first-described mutant in United States), demonstrating that these alleles were scattered worldwide earlier than previously thought.


2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jizhou Li ◽  
Alix T. Coste ◽  
Maroussia Liechti ◽  
Daniel Bachmann ◽  
Dominique Sanglard ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Candida auris is a novel Candida species that has spread in all continents, causing nosocomial outbreaks of invasive candidiasis. C. auris has the ability to develop resistance to all antifungal drug classes. Notably, many C. auris isolates are resistant to the azole drug fluconazole, a standard therapy for invasive candidiasis. Azole resistance in C. auris can result from mutations in the azole target gene ERG11 and/or overexpression of the efflux pump Cdr1. TAC1 is a transcription factor controlling CDR1 expression in C. albicans. The role of TAC1 homologs in C. auris (TAC1a and TAC1b) remains to be better defined. In this study, we compared sequences of ERG11, TAC1a, and TAC1b between a fluconazole-susceptible and five fluconazole-resistant C. auris isolates of clade IV. Among four of the resistant isolates, we identified similar genotypes with concomitant mutations in ERG11 (F444L) and TAC1b (S611P). The simultaneous deletion of tandemly arranged TAC1a/TAC1b resulted in a decrease of MIC for fluconazole. Introduction of the ERG11 and TAC1b mutations separately and/or combined in the wild-type azole-susceptible isolate resulted in a significant increase of azole resistance with a cumulative effect of the two combined mutations. Interestingly, CDR1 expression was not significantly affected by TAC1a/TAC1b deletion or by the presence of the TAC1b S611P mutation, suggesting the existence of Tac1-dependent and Cdr1-independent azole resistance mechanisms. In conclusion, we demonstrated the role of two previously unreported mutations responsible for azole resistance in C. auris, which were a common signature among four azole-resistant isolates of clade IV.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocio Garcia-Rubio ◽  
Laura Alcazar-Fuoli ◽  
Maria Candida Monteiro ◽  
Sara Monzon ◽  
Isabel Cuesta ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTTriazole antifungal compounds are the first treatment choice for invasive aspergillosis. However, in the last decade the rate of azole resistance amongAspergillus fumigatusstrains has increased notoriously. The main resistance mechanisms are well defined and mostly related to point mutations of the azole target, 14-α sterol demethylase (cyp51A), with or without tandem repeat integrations in thecyp51Apromoter. Furthermore, different combinations of five Cyp51A mutations (F46Y, M172V, N248T, D255E, and E427K) have been reported worldwide in about 10% of allA. fumigatusisolates tested. The azole susceptibility profile of these strains shows elevated azole MICs, although on the basis of the azole susceptibility breakpoints, these strains are not considered azole resistant. The purpose of the study was to determine whether thesecyp51Apolymorphisms (single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) are responsible for the azole susceptibility profile and whether they are reflected in a poorer azole treatment responsein vivothat could compromise patient treatment and outcome. A mutant with acyp51Adeletion was generated and became fully susceptible to all azoles tested. Also, threecyp51Agene constructions with different combinations of SNPs were generated and reintroduced into an azole-susceptible wild-type (WT) strain (the ΔakuBKU80strain). The alternative model hostGalleria mellonellawas used to compare the virulence and voriconazole response ofG. mellonellalarvae infected withA. fumigatusstrains with WTcyp51Aorcyp51Awith SNPs. All strains were pathogenic inG. mellonellalarvae, although they did not respond similarly to voriconazole therapeutic doses. Finally, the full genomes of these strains were sequenced and analyzed in comparison with those ofA. fumigatusWT strains, revealing that they belong to different strain clusters or lineages.


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 1738-1744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleftheria Mavridou ◽  
Joseph Meletiadis ◽  
Antony Rijs ◽  
Johan W. Mouton ◽  
Paul E. Verweij

ABSTRACTThe majority of azole resistance mechanisms inAspergillus fumigatuscorrespond to mutations in thecyp51Agene. As azoles are less effective against infections caused by multiply azole-resistantA. fumigatusisolates, new therapeutic options are warranted for treating these infections. We therefore investigated thein vitrocombination of posaconazole (POSA) and caspofungin (CAS) against 20 wild-type and resistantA. fumigatusisolates with 10 different resistance mechanisms. Fungal growth was assessed with the XTT [2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide inner salt] method. Pharmacodynamic interactions were assessed with the fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index (FICi) on the basis of 10% (FICi-0), 25% (FICi-1), or 53 0% (FICi-2) growth, and FICs were correlated with POSA and CAS concentrations. Synergy and antagonism were concluded when the FICi values were statistically significantly (ttest,P< 0.05) lower than 1 and higher than 1.25, respectively. Significant synergy was found for all isolates with mean FICi-0 values ranging from 0.28 to 0.75 (median, 0.46). Stronger synergistic interactions were found with FICi-1 (median, 0.18; range, 0.07 to 0.47) and FICi-2 (0.31; 0.07 to 0.6). The FICi-2 values of isolates with tandem-repeat-containing mutations or codon M220 were lower than those seen with the other isolates (P< 0.01). FIC-2 values were inversely correlated with POSA MICs (rs= −0.52,P= 0.0006) and linearly with the ratio of drug concentrations in combination over the MIC of POSA (rs= 0.76,P< 0.0001) and CAS (rs= 0.52,P= 0.0004). The synergistic effect of the combination of POSA and CAS (POSA/CAS) againstA. fumigatusisolates depended on the underlying azole resistance mechanism. Moreover, the drug combination synergy was found to be increased against isolates with elevated POSA MICs compared to wild-type isolates.


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