Sequence modification of the master regulator Pdr1 interferes with its transcriptional autoregulation and confers altered azole resistance in Candida glabrata.

Abstract

The transcriptional regulator Pdr1 plays a positive role in regulating azole drug resistance in Candida glabrata. Previous studies have shown the importance of the carboxyl (C)-terminal sequence of Pdr1 in fulfilling its function, as this region mediates interactions between Pdr1 and the co-activator Gal11A and is crucial for activation of Pdr1 targets. However, mechanisms of how Pdr1 is regulated, especially implication of its C-terminus in the regulatory activity, remain uncharacterized. In this study, we unexpectedly observed that the C-terminal modification of Pdr1 in an azole-resistant clinical isolate harboring a single GOF mutation, resulted in adverse effects such as decreased expression levels of Pdr1, downregulation of Pdr1 targets and azole hypersensitivity. Importantly, the C-terminal 3×FLAG tagging significantly decreased the binding of Pdr1 to the pleiotropic drug response elements in its own promoter, promoted an irregular cellular mislocalization and thereby disrupted the transcriptional autoregulation of this master regulator. Unexpectedly, the aberrant cytoplasmic localization caused a non-functional interaction with Gal11A, a co-activator involved in drug resistance. Based on these findings, we proposed that C-terminal sequence of Pdr1 is vital for its stability and functionality, and targeting regulation of this region may represent a promising future strategy for combating C. glabrata infection and drug resistance.