Multidrug resistance in fungi: The role of pleiotropic drug resistance genes

Abstract

Multidrug resistance of pathogenic fungi to antifungal agents is a major impediment in combating fungal infections. Clinically important resistance of fungal pathogens to azoles and other antifungal drugs is often caused by overexpression of energy-dependent drug efflux pumps able to facilitate the efflux of drugs from the cells. The efflux pump proteins which belong to the ATP-binding cassette and major facilitator superfamilies are the most prominent contributors to multidrug resistance (MDR). The abundance of the drug transporters and their wider specificity suggest that these transporters are not exclusively drug exporters but also have other cellular functions. In this chapter, we focus on the role played by pleiotropic drug resistance genes in MDR, and their physiological relevance in lipid homeostasis of nonpathogenic and pathogenic fungal species.