Functional Analysis Of Zinc Cluster Transcription Factor FCR1 In Candida Albicans

FCRl is a zinc cluster transcription factor in Candida albicans. It functions as a negative determinant of multiple drug resistance in Candida albicans, However, little information is available concerning its molecular mechanisms and other biological functions . In this study, we firstly found that when the wild type or FCRl null strain were incubated in the presence of fluconzole, the mRNA level of CDR1, CDR2 and MDR1 increased significantly in FCRl deficient strain and the efflux function of Candida albicans were significantly enhanced. We also identified the differentially expressed genes between the FCRl deficient strain and its parental strain through microarrays analysis. 203 genes were notably up or down-regulated with the deletion of FCRl, among these , several clusters of genes were functionally related to drug resistance, virulence, ribosomal protein synthesis, amino acid metabolism, etc. NAG2, CTA1 and RPL6, the three genes functionally related to hyphal development and virulence, were shown to be changed expression in a FCRl deleted strain. Furthermore, hyper filamentous and enhanced virulence were produced in FCRl deleted strains.