A <i>Candida auris</i>-specific adhesin, Scf1<i>,</i> governs surface association, colonization, and virulence.

Abstract

<i>Candida auris</i> is an emerging fungal pathogen responsible for health care-associated outbreaks that arise from persistent surface and skin colonization. We characterized the arsenal of adhesins used by <i>C. auris</i> and discovered an uncharacterized adhesin, Surface Colonization Factor (Scf1), and a conserved adhesin, Iff4109, that are essential for the colonization of inert surfaces and mammalian hosts. <i>SCF1</i> is apparently specific to <i>C. auris</i>, and its expression mediates adhesion to inert and biological surfaces across isolates from all five clades. Unlike canonical fungal adhesins, which function through hydrophobic interactions, Scf1 relies on exposed cationic residues for surface association. <i>SCF1</i> is required for <i>C. auris</i> biofilm formation, skin colonization, virulence in systemic infection, and colonization of inserted medical devices.