Article

Diagnosis of Antifungal Drug Resistance Mechanisms in Fungal Pathogens: Transcriptional Gene Regulation

Current Fungal Infection Reports 04/2012; 5(3):157-167. DOI:10.1007/s12281-011-0055-9 pp.157-167

ABSTRACT Several fungal species can cause mild to severe diseases in humans. Antifungal strategies have been made possible by the development
of several drugs with antifungal activity against these pathogenic fungi. Fungi have counteracted antifungal agents in several
cases by developing resistance mechanisms. These mechanisms are based on the modifications of drug target genes and on the
regulation of drug-resistance genes. Their regulation is controlled by different transcription factors, and recently several
mutations in these factors were demonstrated to be responsible for the development of antifungal drug resistance. Given the
availability of this genome information, the detection of antifungal resistance could be realized by specific diagnostic tools
with DNA-based detection technologies. Here we review the current understanding of transcriptional regulation of drug-resistance
genes from several fungal pathogens and prospective diagnostic options.

Keywords
Candida
–
Aspergillus
–Antifungal drug resistance–Multidrug transporters–Mutations–Diagnosis

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Keywords

antifungal activity
 
antifungal drug resistance
 
antifungal resistance
 
Antifungal strategies
 
current understanding
 
different transcription factors
 
DNA-based detection technologies
 
drug target genes
 
drug-resistance genes
 
drugs
 
fungal pathogens
 
fungal species
 
possible
 
prospective diagnostic options
 
responsible
 
severe diseases
 
specific diagnostic tools
 
transcriptional regulation