Candidozyma auris strain:PUSH159 Genome sequencing. Candidozyma auris strain:PUSH159

Candida auris, an emerging multidrug-resistant fungus that can cause invasive infections, presents a serious threat to global health. In China, since the first isolate of C. auris was recognized in 2018, over 60 cases of C. auris colonization or infection have been reported, with at least two distinct genetic clades (South Asian and South African). Moreover, reported South Asian clade isolates were fluconazole-susceptible, while majority of South African clade isolates were fluconazole-resistant. Here, we report an isolate of C. auris (PUSH159) from blood of an ICU hospitalized patient in Beijing. Strain PUSH159 is resistant to fluconazole and belongs to South Asian clade. We identified the expression of efflux pumps genes MDR1, CDR1, CDR4, SNQ2 and ARB1, and ergosterol biosynthesis gene ERG11 in strain PUSH159. Multiple virulence factors that previously noted to be involved in C. albicans were found in strain PUSH159 with reduced virulence. SNP analysis revealed that strain PUSH159 had several mutations in antifungal resistance-associated genes, including ERG11 (hot-spot mutation Y132F), CDR1 and SNQ2. Our study provides the genetic basis of fluconazole resistance and phylogenetic lineage of strain PUSH159, supports the difference in fluconazole susceptibility within South Asian clade, and alarms the emerging of fluconazole-resistant South Asian clade isolates in China.