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Microevolution of the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans and Candida glabrata during antifungal therapy and host

Pedro Pais1,2, Mónica Galocha1,2, Romeu Viana1,2

  • 1Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.

Microbial Cell (Graz, Austria)
|March 12, 2019
PubMed

Insights

This review explores how pathogenic yeasts like Candida albicans and Candida glabrata evolve antifungal resistance and virulence. Understanding these micro-evolutionary adaptations is key to developing new drug targets against common fungal infections.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Pathogenic yeasts *Candida albicans* and *Candida glabrata* cause common fungal infections.
  • *C. glabrata* exhibits high azole antifungal resistance, while *C. albicans* possesses diverse virulence factors.
  • Mechanisms of resistance and virulence are known, but their environmental evolution is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review micro-evolution experiments in *Candida* species under various conditions.
  • To analyze adaptation strategies that evolve over time in response to treatments and host environments.
  • To identify potential drug targets based on stable phenotypes developed in real-life scenarios.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of micro-evolution experiments.
  • Analysis of studies investigating adaptation to antifungal treatments.
  • Examination of research on host-associated adaptations in *Candida* species.

Main Results:

  • *Candida* species develop stable phenotypes through micro-evolutionary adaptation.
  • Environmental pressures, including antifungal drugs and host conditions, drive these adaptations.
  • Specific adaptation strategies contribute to enhanced virulence and treatment resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding *Candida* species' adaptive evolution is crucial for combating fungal diseases.
  • Micro-evolutionary insights can reveal novel mechanisms of antifungal resistance and virulence.
  • Targeting evolved stable phenotypes offers promising avenues for new antifungal therapies.
Keywords:
antifungal resistancebiofilm formationfungal pathogenshostpathogen interactionmicroevolutionvirulence

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