Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
Whole Genome Sequencing of Candida glabrata for Detection of Markers of Antifungal Drug Resistance
Published on: December 28, 2017
Biological characterization of Candida parapsilosis haploids induced by voriconazole
Lingyu Ji1, Tianhong Zheng1, Tianren Hu2
1State Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, and Department of infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Objectives:
Candida parapsilosis is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen causing serious human infections in nosocomial settings. It has long been thought that C. parapsilosis has a diploid genome with a high homozygosity between chromosome homologs.
Methods:
In this study, we report the discovery of C. parapsilosis haploids induced by voriconazole, a triazole with broad antifungal activity against fungal pathogens, in an experimental evolutionary assay.
Results:
The haploid strains were able to undergo auto-diploidization under in vitro culture conditions or during systemic infection at a low frequency. Compared to the progenitor diploid strain, C. parapsilosis haploid and auto-diploid strains exhibited a reduced ability of invasive growth and biofilm formation. Global transcriptional expression analysis indicated that haploid and auto-diploid strains had a similar transcriptomic profile, which showed a remarkable difference from the progenitor diploid strain perhaps due to the loss of chromosome heterozygosity. Moreover, the haploid and diploid strains had distinct fungal burdens in different animal tissues, suggesting the haploid state could have a colonization advantage over the diploids in certain tissues such as the brain and spleen.
Conclusions:
The discovery of C. parapsilosis haploids not only sheds lights on the biology of this important fungal pathogen, but also provides a tool for genetic modifications for the field.
Insights
We discovered haploid Candida parapsilosis strains induced by voriconazole. These haploids show altered growth and colonization, offering new tools for studying this opportunistic fungal pathogen.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Fungal Genetics
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Candida parapsilosis is a significant opportunistic fungal pathogen responsible for hospital-acquired infections.
- This fungus was traditionally considered to possess a diploid genome with high homozygosity.
- Understanding its genetic variability is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential for haploidization in Candida parapsilosis.
- To characterize the biological and transcriptomic differences between diploid and haploid strains.
- To explore the implications of haploidy for fungal pathogenesis and genetic manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Experimental evolution assay using voriconazole to induce haploidization.
- In vitro and in vivo studies to assess growth, biofilm formation, and auto-diploidization.
- Global transcriptional expression analysis to compare gene expression profiles.
Main Results:
- Successfully induced haploid Candida parapsilosis strains using voriconazole.
- Haploid and auto-diploid strains showed reduced invasive growth and biofilm formation compared to diploids.
- Distinct transcriptomic profiles were observed between haploid/auto-diploid and diploid strains.
- Haploid strains exhibited differential fungal burdens in animal tissues, suggesting tissue-specific colonization advantages.
Conclusions:
- The discovery of voriconazole-induced haploids in Candida parapsilosis challenges previous assumptions about its genome.
- Haploidy influences C. parapsilosis virulence traits and tissue colonization.
- Haploid strains provide a valuable tool for genetic studies and understanding the biology of this important fungal pathogen.
