Trisomy of chromosome R confers resistance to triazoles in Candida albicans

Genome plasticity is a hallmark of Candida albicans, and it has been suggested that it generates numerical and structural genomic variations as a means of adaptation. In this study, we used array based comparative genomic hybridization technology and the quantitative real time PCR to investigate the mechanisms by which the following strains obtained by genetic manipulation, CaLY188, CaLY350, CaLY190 and CaLY191, were resistant to antifungal azoles. All four showed trisomy of chromosome R and resistance to azoles. Serial passage of CaLY188 in drug-free medium resulted in chromosome loss, causing chromosome R disomy and loss of azole resistance. Thus we proposed that trisomy of chromosome R contributes to azole resistance.