PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Understanding how the superfungus Candida auris withstands antifungal treatment

2025-07-15
(Press-News.org) A groundbreaking study from Michigan State University (MSU), recently published in Nature Communications, has revealed how the multidrug-resistant superfungus Candida auris uniquely reconstructs its cell wall to survive antifungal treatments. The discovery marks a significant step toward understanding and combating one of the most dangerous fungal pathogens threatening hospitalized patients worldwide. 

Led by Tuo Wang, a Carl Brubaker Endowed Professor at Department of Chemistry, the research compares C. auris with its more common relative, Candida albicans. While both species share similar cell wall structures, the study shows they deploy markedly different strategies to resist echinocandins — a class of frontline antifungal drugs. 

“Invasive infections by Candida species are a growing threat, especially with the rise of drug-resistant species like C. auris and complications from COVID-19-related candidiasis,” said Wang. “Our study provides high-resolution insight into how these fungi adapt to treatment.” 

Using advanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the team found that both fungi experience stiffening of key cell wall polysaccharides—such as β-1,6-glucans and mannan sidechains—when treated with the antifungal drug caspofungin. However, while C. albicans thickens its cell wall and alters chitin and glucan dynamics in response, C. auris takes a different approach: it increases production of β-1,6-glucan to preserve its structural integrity. 

The study also sheds light on the long-mysterious role of β-1,6-glucan, an underexplored component of fungal cell walls that appears to play a critical role in drug resistance. “Gene deletion and subsequent structural analysis revealed that β-1,6-glucan is directly tied to how C. auris responds to antifungal drugs like micafungin and caspofungin,” Wang explained. 

The interdisciplinary research team included MSU graduate students Kalpana Singh and Malitha Dickwella Widanage, visiting scholar Yifan Xu (now entering MSU’s Chemistry PhD program), and postdoctoral associate Jayasubba Reddy Yarava.  

This interdisciplinary effort was strengthened by contributions from leading microbiologists, including Dr. Frederic Lamoth’s team at Lausanne University Hospital and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), Dr. Neil A. R. Gow of the University of Exeter (UK), and Dr. Ping Wang of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. The research also benefited from access to state-of-the-art instrumentation at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (Tallahassee, Florida), with technical support from Dr. Frederic Mentink-Vigier and Dr. Faith Scott. 

Ultimately, the research not only clarifies how C. auris survives drug treatment but also offers a roadmap for designing more effective antifungal therapies in the future by targeting species-specific structural adaptations. 

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Call for papers: CPA special issue on polypharmacology in cancer therapy—overcoming resistance and enhancing efficacy

2025-07-15
Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, with therapeutic challenges primarily arising from drug resistance and limited treatment efficacy. Polypharmacology—the strategic use of multi-target drugs or synergistic drug combinations—has emerged as a transformative approach to address these limitations. The journal Current Pharmaceutical Analysis is pleased to announce a special issue focusing on cutting-edge advancements in polypharmacology for cancer therapy, with an emphasis on mechanisms of drug resistance, rational design of drug combinations, and computational ...

An alternative adhesive for wearable medical devices

2025-07-15
Wearable healthcare devices, such as glucose monitors and heart monitors, are popular due to their ability to gather real-time data that supports users’ health and safety.   However, despite their benefits, these devices must often be worn on the arms or chest for a long period of time. They can irritate the skin, cause allergic reactions, and become obstructed by moisture and sweat.    Dr. Jaime Grunlan, Leland T. Jordan '29 Chair Professor in the J. Mike Walker '66 ...

Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to go to their treat. Why do some animals learn to interact with the bell instead?

2025-07-15
High school students learn that Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to associate the sound of a bell with getting food. The association was so strong that the dogs would begin to salivate when they heard the bell, before there was even a whiff of food. When they were finally presented with the food, they ate it. They did not lick the bell. But that’s just what some animals will do when presented with a stimulus, or cue, that has been paired with a reward: interact with the cue. Sometimes they’ll ...

Call for Young Editorial Board members at Current Molecular Pharmacology

2025-07-15
Current Molecular Pharmacology (CMP) is at the cutting edge of publishing the latest advancements in cellular and molecular pharmacology. We focus on the mechanisms of action of new drugs under development, innovative pharmacological technologies, and the application of genomics, proteomics, and metabonomics to drug action. The journal also delves into how studying drug actions at the cellular and molecular levels provides insights into normal biological functions, thus deepening our understanding of therapeutic interventions and fundamental biological processes.  With an impact factor of 2.9 in 2025, CMP is extensively indexed in databases such as ...

MSU team develops scalable climate solutions for agricultural carbon markets

2025-07-15
Why this matters: Builds trust in carbon markets. This science-based baseline system dramatically improves accuracy, helping ensure carbon credits are credible and truly reflect climate benefits. Enables real climate impact by accounting for both soil carbon and nitrous oxide emissions, the approach delivers a full, net climate assessment. Scales across millions of acres. Tested on 46 million hectares in 12 Midwest states, this approach is ready for large-scale adoption, helping farmers transition to regenerative practices with confidence and clarity. EAST LANSING, Mich. – New research ...

Playing an instrument may protect against cognitive aging

2025-07-15
Long-term musical training may mitigate the age-related decline in speech perception by enhancing cognitive reserve, according to a study published July 15th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Claude Alain from the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, Canada, and Yi Du from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Normal aging is typically associated with declines in sensory and cognitive functions. These age-related changes in perception and cognition are often accompanied by increased ...

UNM study finds link between Grand Canyon landslide and Meteor Crater impact

2025-07-15
Geology is full of detective stories about Earth’s history, and a new paper in Geology by University of New Mexico Distinguished Professors Emeritus Karl Karlstrom and Laurie Crossey, along with their co-authors, links two iconic geologic landmarks of the American Southwest: the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater. The article, titled Grand Canyon landslide-dam and paleolake triggered by the Meteor Crater impact at 56 ka, highlights the striking coincidence in the geologic ages of a meteor impact and a landslide dam that blocked the Colorado River, forming a paleolake in the Grand Canyon about ...

Ultra-hot Jupiter’s death spiral could reveal stellar secrets

2025-07-15
Astronomers track doomed planet's death spiral Macquarie University astronomers have tracked an extreme planet's orbital decay, confirming it is spiralling towards its star in a cosmic death dance that could end in three possible ways. The ultra-hot Jupiter exoplanet TOI-2109b, located 870 light-years from Earth, completes an orbit around its star in just 16 hours – making it the closest hot Jupiter ever discovered. With a mass nearly five times that of Jupiter and almost twice Jupiter's size, ...

You only get one brain! The best helmet material for protecting your noggin

2025-07-15
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2025 – Though participation in sports can have positive impacts both physiologically and socially, extreme sports, like football and roller derby, come with elevated risks. In a 2019 study, over 40% of 498 athletes suffered at least one injury over the course of the year. These injury rates are even higher in elite cricket — around 70%, with about 13% of all injuries being to the head, neck, and face — pointing to a need for improvements in protective helmets. In AIP Advances, by AIP Publishing, researchers ...

Neurodegeneration and stroke after GLP-1RAs in diabetes and obesity

2025-07-15
About The Study: In this cohort study, the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) semaglutide and tirzepatide was associated with a lower risk of dementia, stroke, and all-cause mortality in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity. These findings suggest potential neuroprotective and cerebrovascular benefits of GLP-1RAs beyond glycemic control, warranting further trials to confirm these outcomes. Corresponding author: To contact the corresponding author, James Cheng-Chung Wei, M.D., Ph.D., email jccwei@gmail.com. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/  (doi: ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Teens with higher blood levels of PFAS regain more weight after bariatric surgery, study finds

Discovery of ‘weird looking’ otter poo reveals how these animals shape nearby ecologies

River otters unfazed by feces and parasites while eating… and that’s good for ecosystems

From static to smart: HIT researchers developed programmable 4D-printed metamaterials that think, change, and perform multiple tasks

Back from the brink of extinction

Unlocking the power within: Recycling lithium batteries for a sustainable future 

Adoption of AI-scribes by doctors raises ethical questions

65LAB awards US$1.5 million to Duke-NUS platform to advance antifibrotic drug discovery

Mount Sinai study supports evidence that prenatal acetaminophen use may be linked to increased risk of autism and ADHD

Big-data longevity specialist boosts HonorHealth Research Institute’s efforts to help patients lead longer, more productive lives

Helping others shown to slow cognitive decline

Youth violence prevention program shown to reduce arrests by up to 75%

ADHD medication linked to reduced risk of suicide, drug abuse, transport accidents and criminal behaviour

AI Chatbots can be exploited to extract more personal information

Clinical trial shows newborns with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can start treatment at birth

Broad COVID-19 vaccination makes economic sense, especially for older adults, study finds

People who move to more walkable cities do, in fact, walk significantly more

Zombie cancer cells give cold shoulder to chemotherapy

New bioimaging device holds potential for eye and heart condition detection

MSU study finds tiny microbes shape brain development

One universal antiviral to rule them all?

Arginine dentifrices significantly reduce childhood caries

MSU study finds print wins over digital for preschoolers learning to read

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center earns recognition as a mitral valve repair reference center from the Mitral Foundation for third consecutive year

PSMA PET/CT prior to salvage radiotherapy improves overall survival for prostate cancer patients: Real-world data from an entire country

For professional fighters, childhood disadvantage linked to more brain changes later

NIH-funded study leads to new understanding of how stroke impacts reading

Clinical trial commences to treat spinal cord injury

Blood cancer therapy: DKMS John Hansen Research Grant 2026 supports innovative research projects with almost €1 million

A hospital imaging technique used in cancer care improves the monitoring and treatment of atherosclerosis

[Press-News.org] Understanding how the superfungus Candida auris withstands antifungal treatment