# Genetic characterization of C. auris adhesion

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2022 · $188,280

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Adherence is a key factor determining whether organisms can persist and transmit on abiotic surfaces.
This attachment also is the first step in the formation of biofilms, which are linked with both persistence and
antifungal drug resistance. Candida auris, an emerging fungal pathogen, can cause outbreaks in hospital
settings. This is likely linked with its ability to adhere and persist on surfaces, as strains with low adhesive
capacity are less likely to cause hospital outbreaks. However, the cell biology and genetic circuitry underlying
the ability of C. auris to attach to surfaces are not known. Our long-term goal is to identify how C. auris senses
and responds to abiotic surfaces to allow for robust attachment, and thus persistence, biofilm formation, and
transmission.
 This application details experiments to address a fundamentally important gap in our knowledge of the
components involved in the adherence of C. auris. We propose that C. auris responds to environmental cues
by increasing adherence to surfaces, and that this adherence is a key virulence trait. We recently developed
genetic tools for interrogating this organism, giving us unprecedented power to analyze the genes required for
C. auris outbreaks. In Aim 1, we will use both forward and reverse genetic approaches to investigate the role of
adhesins and other components in the ability of C. auris to attach to surfaces. In Aim 2, we will test the
hypothesis that C. auris responds to specific environmental stresses by transcriptionally regulating adhesion
effectors. We will use transcriptional profiling experiments and candidate promoter analyses to dissect out
regulatory circuitry controlling attachment. Together, these studies will advance new concepts for how C. auris
can regulate adherence.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10426555
- **Project number:** 1R21AI169186-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Teresa R. OMeara
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $188,280
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-02-10 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10426555

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10426555, Genetic characterization of C. auris adhesion (1R21AI169186-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10426555. Licensed CC0.

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