Fatty Acid Profiling Identification Method of Emerging Fungal Pathogen Candidozyma auris (Formally Candida auris)

The species Candidozyma auris (formerly known as Candida auris) can be subdivided into four major and two minor clades. It is considered an emerging multidrug-resistant pathogen that causes invasive outbreaks around the world. Therefore, the accurate identification of this species plays an important role in combating invasion and facilitating pathogenic management. In our study an optional identification method was developed considering the possibility of using cellular fatty acids (FAs) as a taxonomic and diagnostic tool. FAs were recorded in the collected C. auris strains, and the species characteristic components were determined. Within the isolates examined, the clades were also separated in the statistical analysis. Furthermore, FAs from strains belonging to clade I and II have been divided into two distinct clusters. In testing the performance of the method, all identified samples showed good matches with the established C. auris record in the database without misreading. Taken together, cellular fatty acids were investigated as potential discriminatory biomarkers. The results suggest that this approach can distinguish C. auris from related species and provides distinctive fatty acid profiles for the investigated C. auris clades. The present findings revealed the first report on the application of whole cell FA components as taxonomic features in C. auris.