Functional genomic analysis of genes important for Candida albicans fitness in diverse environmental conditions

Autor: Emily H. Xiong, Xiang Zhang, Huijuan Yan, Henry N. Ward, Zhen-Yuan Lin, Cassandra J. Wong, Ci Fu, Anne-Claude Gingras, Suzanne M. Noble, Nicole Robbins, Chad L. Myers, Leah E. Cowen
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Cell Reports, Vol 43, Iss 8, Pp 114601- (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2211-1247
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114601
Popis: Summary: Fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans pose a significant threat to human health with limited treatment options available. One strategy to expand the therapeutic target space is to identify genes important for pathogen growth in host-relevant environments. Here, we leverage a pooled functional genomic screening strategy to identify genes important for fitness of C. albicans in diverse conditions. We identify an essential gene with no known Saccharomyces cerevisiae homolog, C1_09670C, and demonstrate that it encodes subunit 3 of replication factor A (Rfa3). Furthermore, we apply computational analyses to identify functionally coherent gene clusters and predict gene function. Through this approach, we predict the cell-cycle-associated function of C3_06880W, a previously uncharacterized gene required for fitness specifically at elevated temperatures, and follow-up assays confirm that C3_06880W encodes Iml3, a component of the C. albicans kinetochore with roles in virulence in vivo. Overall, this work reveals insights into the vulnerabilities of C. albicans.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals