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Calcium transport systems as virulence determinants: Mechanistic insights into fungal pathogenicity and antifungal

Ndeshifwaya Rogathe Lukumay1, Yitong Li1, Hongchen Wang1,2

  • 1Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.

Virulence
|October 7, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Fungal calcium transporters are crucial for virulence and drug resistance. Understanding their role in calcium homeostasis offers new targets for antifungal drug development against pathogenic fungi.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Human pathogenic fungi rely on calcium homeostasis for survival and virulence.
  • Calcium transport proteins play a significant role in fungal stress adaptation and pathogenicity.
  • Drug resistance in fungi is a growing clinical concern, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms of calcium transport proteins in fungal virulence and drug resistance.
  • To synthesize recent advances in calcium homeostasis research concerning pathogenic fungi.
  • To identify calcium transport systems as potential targets for antifungal drug development.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic evaluation of genetic studies.
  • Biochemical analyses of calcium transport mechanisms.
  • Review of clinical studies on fungal infections and drug resistance.

Main Results:

  • Fungal calcium transporters (e.g., PMC1, VCX1, CCH1/MID1) regulate stress adaptation via calcineurin-dependent and -independent pathways.
  • These transporters are involved in maintaining fungal cell wall integrity, biofilm formation, and efflux pump activity.
  • Mechanisms elucidated contribute to virulence evolution and azole resistance in pathogenic fungi.

Conclusions:

  • Calcium transport systems are critical for fungal physiology, pathogenicity, and drug resistance.
  • Targeting these systems offers a promising avenue for developing new antifungal therapies.
  • This research provides a framework for overcoming multidrug resistance in key fungal pathogens like Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus.
Keywords:
Calcium transport proteinshuman pathogenic fungimolecular mechanismsresistancevirulence

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