Genomic Analysis Reveals Diversified and Stress-Responsive Transport Repertoire in Candidozyma (Candida) auris

Candidozyma (Candida) auris is a fungal pathogen associated with life-threatening invasive infections and high mortality rates. It is becoming a major global public health concern due to its ability to resist multiple antifungal drugs and spread in healthcare settings. Despite this, little is known about the mechanisms underlying drug resistance, fungal development, pathogenesis, and virulence. Among the factors contributing to these processes, transporters play a central role in fungal biology, regulating nutrient acquisition, metabolite exchange, ion homeostasis, and drug efflux. However, the composition and diversity of transporter systems in C. auris remain poorly defined. Through genomic analysis, we identified 686 transporters and 125 accessory factors involved in transport in C. auris, most of which had not been characterized. These transporters and accessory factors were classified into seven classes, 22 subclasses, and 215 families, reflecting substantial functional diversity. Comparative analyses with other pathogenic Candida species and Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveal lineage-specific divergence in several transporter families. We also integrated multiple publicly available RNA-seq datasets encompassing antifungal drug exposure and drug-resistant isolates and identified subsets of transporters that are transcriptionally responsive in distinct antifungal conditions, including members of families implicated in drug transport, metabolism, and ion homeostasis. Together, this study defines the landscape of transporter systems in C. auris and highlights transporter families that may contribute to stress adaptation and antifungal responses, providing a resource for future functional and mechanistic investigations.