Nature Communications (Aug 2018)

Azole-induced cell wall carbohydrate patches kill Aspergillus fumigatus

  • Bernadette Geißel,
  • Veronika Loiko,
  • Isabel Klugherz,
  • Zhaojun Zhu,
  • Nikola Wagener,
  • Oliver Kurzai,
  • Cees A. M. J. J. van den Hondel,
  • Johannes Wagener

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05497-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Azole antifungals inhibit fungal ergosterol biosynthesis. Here, Geißel et al. show that the fungicidal activity of azoles involves excessive synthesis of cell wall carbohydrates at defined spots along the hyphae, leading to formation of membrane invaginations and eventually rupture of the plasma membrane.