Evolution of pathogenicity and sexual reproduction in eight Candida genomes

Geraldine Butler*, Matthew D. Rasmussen, Michael F. Lin, Manuel A.S. Santos, Sharadha Sakthikumar, Carol A. Munro, Esther Rheinbay, Manfred Grabherr, Anja Forche, Jennifer L. Reedy, Ino Agrafioti, Martha B. Arnaud, Steven Bates, Alistair J.P. Brown, Sascha Brunke, Maria C. Costanzo, David A. Fitzpatrick, Piet W.J. De Groot, David Harris, Lois L. HoyerBernhard Hube, Frans M. Klis, Chinnappa Kodira, Nicola Lennard, Mary E. Logue, Ronny Martin, Aaron M. Neiman, Elissavet Nikolaou, Michael A. Quail, Janet Quinn, Maria C. Santos, Florian F. Schmitzberger, Gavin Sherlock, Prachi Shah, Kevin A.T. Silverstein, Marek S. Skrzypek, David Soll, Rodney Staggs, Ian Stansfield, Michael P.H. Stumpf, Peter E. Sudbery, Thyagarajan Srikantha, Qiandong Zeng, Judith Berman, Matthew Berriman, Joseph Heitman, Neil A.R. Gow, Michael C. Lorenz, Bruce W. Birren, Manolis Kellis, Christina A. Cuomo

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

827 Scopus citations

Abstract

Candida species are the most common cause of opportunistic fungal infection worldwide. Here we report the genome sequences of six Candida species and compare these and related pathogens and non-pathogens. There are significant expansions of cell wall, secreted and transporter gene families in pathogenic species, suggesting adaptations associated with virulence. Large genomic tracts are homozygous in three diploid species, possibly resulting from recent recombination events. Surprisingly, key components of the mating and meiosis pathways are missing from several species. These include major differences at the mating-type loci (MTL); Lodderomyces elongisporus lacks MTL, and components of the a1/α2 cell identity determinant were lost in other species, raising questions about how mating and cell types are controlled. Analysis of the CUG leucine-to-serine genetic-code change reveals that 99% of ancestral CUG codons were erased and new ones arose elsewhere. Lastly, we revise the Candida albicans gene catalogue, identifying many new genes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)657-662
Number of pages6
JournalNature
Volume459
Issue number7247
DOIs
StatePublished - 4 Jun 2009
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Science Foundation
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Human Genome Research InstituteR01HG004037
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Wellcome Trust
Science Foundation Ireland

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