Scientists have discovered why the fungus Candida auris refuses to be removed once it has attached itself onto a surface. The difficulty of getting rid of it has been the primary cause of outbreaks since there were cases reported of infections in 2012, and it has continued on its rampage, quickly moving from one location to the next. One can only imagine the amount of persistence this fungus must have to repudiate the ones trying to eradicate it.
Darian Santana, a microbiologist at the University of Michigan Medical School, along with his colleagues have found the reason for the tenacity of this fungus to keep holding on for dear life no matter where it finds itself perched.
Most fungi make adhesive proteins that rely on hydrophobic interactions to glom onto surfaces. Think oil and water, says Teresa O’Meara, a microbiologist and geneticist in whose lab Santana works. Oil droplets congregate with other oil droplets, while water is attracted to water. Similarly, hydrophobic fungal proteins attach themselves to hydrophobic, or water-repellent, surfaces.
However, despite having the same mechanisms present in their structure, C. auris has another method of sticking to surfaces. And to find out what that is, check out Tina Hesman Saey's article on Science News.
(Image credit: Shawn Lockhart/Wikimedia Commons)