Limited <i>ERG11</i> Mutations Identified in Isolates of Candida auris Directly Contribute to Reduced Azole Susceptibility

Abstract

Multiple Erg11 amino acid substitutions were identified in clinical isolates of <i>Candida auris</i> originating from India and Colombia. Elevated azole MICs were detected in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> upon heterologous expression of <i>C. auris</i><i>ERG11</i> alleles that encoded for Y132F or K143R substitutions; however, expression of alleles encoding I466M, Y501H, or other clade-defined amino acid differences yielded susceptible MICs. Similar to other <i>Candida</i> species, specific <i>C. auris</i><i>ERG11</i> mutations resulted directly in reduced azole susceptibility.