Patterns of Genomic Variation in the Opportunistic Pathogen Candida glabrata Suggest the Existence of Mating and a Secondary Association with Humans

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.11.027
• Publication Date: 2017-12-14T16:47:43Z
• Authors: Laia Carreté; Ewa Ksiezopolska; Cinta Pegueroles; Emilia Gómez-Molero; Ester Saus; Susana Iraola-Guzmán; Damian Loska; Oliver Bader; Cecile Fairhead; Toni Gabaldón
• Keywords: Candida glabrata; Sexual reproduction

Candida glabrata is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that ranks as the second most common cause of systemic candidiasis. Despite its genus name, this yeast more closely related to model Saccharomyces cerevisiae than other pathogens, and hence ability infect humans thought have emerged independently. Moreover, C. has all necessary genes undergo a sexual cycle but considered asexual organism due lack direct evidence reproduction. To reconstruct recent evolution find footprints reproduction, we assessed genomic phenotypic variation across 33 globally distributed isolates. We cataloged extensive copy-number variation, which particularly affects encoding cell-wall-associated proteins, including adhesins. The observed level genetic in significantly higher found albicans. This structured into seven deeply divergent clades, show geographical dispersion large within-clade differences. compelling admixture between differentiated lineages purifying selection on mating genes, provides first for existence active yeast. Altogether, our data point global spread previously genetically isolated populations suggest are only secondary niche