title: Aspergillus fumigatus CYP51 sequence: potential basis for fluconazole resistance.
abstract: We have cloned and sequenced the Aspergillus fumigatus CYP51 gene which encodes the target of azole antifungal agents, namely cytochrome P450 sterol 14alpha-demethylase. Since A. fumigatus is intrinsically resistant to the widely used azole fluconazole, we compared its predicted CYP51 sequence to the CYP51 sequences from fluconazole-susceptible and resistant Candida albicans. This analysis generated specific hypotheses regarding the basis for A. fumigatus fluconazole resistance; in particular, A. fumigatus residue Ile301 corresponds to C. albicans residue Thr315 which is mutated to Ala in resistant strains and is proposed to hydrogen bond with the sterol substrate.
authors.affiliation: MCP Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19129, USA. edlind@drexel.edu
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Edlind
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Metera
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Katiyar
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D058886:Sterol 14-Demethylase
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D058886:Sterol 14-Demethylase