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Understand the genomic diversity and evolution of fungal pathogen Candida glabrata by genome-wide analysis of genetic variations

Guo, Xiaoxian ; Zhang, Ruoyu ; Li, Yudong ; Wang, Zhe ; Ishchuk, Olena P. LU ; Ahmad, Khadija M. LU ; Wee, Josephine ; Piskur, Jure LU ; Shapiro, Joshua A. and Gu, Zhenglong (2020) In Methods 176. p.82-90
Abstract

The yeast Candida glabrata, an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, is the second most prevalent cause of candidiasis worldwide, with an infection incidence that has been increasing in the past decades. The completion of the C. glabrata reference genome made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the molecular basis of its pathogenic phenotypes. However, knowledge of genome-wide genetic variations among C. glabrata strains is limited. In this study, we present a population genomic study of C. glabrata based on whole genome re-sequencing of 47 clinical strains to an average coverage of ∼63×. Abundant genetic variations were identified in these strains, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), small insertion/deletions... (More)

The yeast Candida glabrata, an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, is the second most prevalent cause of candidiasis worldwide, with an infection incidence that has been increasing in the past decades. The completion of the C. glabrata reference genome made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the molecular basis of its pathogenic phenotypes. However, knowledge of genome-wide genetic variations among C. glabrata strains is limited. In this study, we present a population genomic study of C. glabrata based on whole genome re-sequencing of 47 clinical strains to an average coverage of ∼63×. Abundant genetic variations were identified in these strains, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), small insertion/deletions (indels) and copy number variations (CNVs). The observed patterns of variations revealed clear population structure of these strains. Using population genetic tests, we detected fast evolution of several genes involved in C. glabrata adherence ability, such as EPA9 and EPA10. We also located genome structural variations, including aneuploidies and large fragment CNVs, in regions that are functionally related to virulence. Subtelometric regions were hotspots of CNVs, which may contribute to variation in expression of adhesin genes that are important for virulence. We further conducted a genome-wide association study that identified two SNPs in the 5′UTR region of CST6 that were associated with fluconazole susceptibility. These observations provide convincing evidence for the highly dynamic nature of the C. glabrata genome with potential adaptive evolution to clinical environments, and offer valuable resources for investigating the mechanisms underlying drug resistance and virulence in this fungal pathogen. (249 words)

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; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Candida glabrata, Evolution of virulence, Genome dynamics, Population genomics
in
Methods
volume
176
pages
9 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85065579853
  • pmid:31059831
ISSN
1046-2023
DOI
10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.05.002
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5c45c427-d8f6-40cf-98e8-79ed8b3a3d01
date added to LUP
2019-06-04 12:44:19
date last changed
2024-11-27 08:08:46
@article{5c45c427-d8f6-40cf-98e8-79ed8b3a3d01,
  abstract     = {{<p>The yeast Candida glabrata, an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, is the second most prevalent cause of candidiasis worldwide, with an infection incidence that has been increasing in the past decades. The completion of the C. glabrata reference genome made fundamental contributions to the understanding of the molecular basis of its pathogenic phenotypes. However, knowledge of genome-wide genetic variations among C. glabrata strains is limited. In this study, we present a population genomic study of C. glabrata based on whole genome re-sequencing of 47 clinical strains to an average coverage of ∼63×. Abundant genetic variations were identified in these strains, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), small insertion/deletions (indels) and copy number variations (CNVs). The observed patterns of variations revealed clear population structure of these strains. Using population genetic tests, we detected fast evolution of several genes involved in C. glabrata adherence ability, such as EPA9 and EPA10. We also located genome structural variations, including aneuploidies and large fragment CNVs, in regions that are functionally related to virulence. Subtelometric regions were hotspots of CNVs, which may contribute to variation in expression of adhesin genes that are important for virulence. We further conducted a genome-wide association study that identified two SNPs in the 5′UTR region of CST6 that were associated with fluconazole susceptibility. These observations provide convincing evidence for the highly dynamic nature of the C. glabrata genome with potential adaptive evolution to clinical environments, and offer valuable resources for investigating the mechanisms underlying drug resistance and virulence in this fungal pathogen. (249 words)</p>}},
  author       = {{Guo, Xiaoxian and Zhang, Ruoyu and Li, Yudong and Wang, Zhe and Ishchuk, Olena P. and Ahmad, Khadija M. and Wee, Josephine and Piskur, Jure and Shapiro, Joshua A. and Gu, Zhenglong}},
  issn         = {{1046-2023}},
  keywords     = {{Candida glabrata; Evolution of virulence; Genome dynamics; Population genomics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  pages        = {{82--90}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Methods}},
  title        = {{Understand the genomic diversity and evolution of fungal pathogen Candida glabrata by genome-wide analysis of genetic variations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.05.002}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.05.002}},
  volume       = {{176}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}