Functional analysis of a novel gene cluster responsible for strong acid resistance in the causative agent of invasive candidiasis.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07494
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Azusa 千葉大学, 真菌医学研究センター, 技術職員 (20607949)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 酸耐性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We demonstrated for the first time that Rim101, which was previously thought to be involved only in alkaline tolerance, is involved in the mechanism of strong acid tolerance, a characteristic of Candida glabrata, and investigated the detailed mechanism. We screened a library of RIM101-deficient strains and performed RNAseq on RIM101-deficient strains, and analyzed them using strains deficient in genes identified as upstream of Rim101p. The method of tagging and expressing the Rim101p protein by Western blotting was difficult to solve due to expression levels. However, some results were obtained and a previously unreported strong acid resistance gene was detected.

Free Research Field

医真菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

パン酵母S. cerevisiaeにおいて、アルカリ耐性に関する代表的な遺伝子としてRIM101が報告されており、C. albicansではRIM101が病原性に関わることも明らかとなっているが、C. glabrataにおけるRIM101経路に関する研究は例がなかった。菌種によってRIM101経路に関わる遺伝子層に大きなバリエーションがあり、C. glabrataにおいてRIM101経路に関わる遺伝子、またRIM101に制御される遺伝子を明らかにすることにより、抗真菌薬に対する耐性菌が出現しやすいC. glabrataへの対処の幅が大きく広がることが期待される。