Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42259815›Full record

ArticleNPJ biofilms and microbiomes2026

The Wor2 phenotypic switching regulator controls biofilm formation in Candida auris.

Weihong Liang, Shuyun Guan, Jian Bing, Han Du, Qiushi Zheng, Li Tao, Bing Li, Guanghua Huang, Haiqing Chu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ biofilms and microbiomes, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Weihong Liang *Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Shuyun Guan *State Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of infectious diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Jian BingState Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of infectious diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Han DuState Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of infectious diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Qiushi ZhengCollege of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Li TaoState Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of infectious diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Bing LiDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. libing044162@163.com.
Guanghua HuangState Key Laboratory of Genetics and Development of Complex Phenotypes, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Department of infectious diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. huanggh@fudan.edu.cn.
Haiqing ChuDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. chu_haiqing@126.com.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2025YFE0205500National Natural Science Foundation of China 32170193National Natural Science Foundation of China 32370202National Natural Science Foundation of China 32530005Shanghai Pujiang Program 24PJD124
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris is a serious global public health threat due to its ability to persist in healthcare environments and on human skin. Here, we report a prevalent cluster of clinical C. auris strains with enhanced biofilm formation, a contributor to environmental and skin persistence. Genomic analyses show that the clinical isolates with enhanced biofilm formation ability carry a loss-of-function mutation in the WOR2 locus, which encodes a white-opaque switching regulator in Candida species. Analysis of 13,314 published genomes revealed that 3104 strains (23.3%) harbor nonsense or frameshift mutations in WOR2, indicating frequent clinical occurrence. Deletion of WOR2 in a clinical strain markedly increased biofilm formation, whereas reintroduction of an intact WOR2 significantly attenuated biofilm development. Further analyses show that Wor2 inactivation upregulates GFC1, ALS4, and multiple biofilm-associated genes. Together, these findings reveal a key regulatory mechanism underlying biofilm development, environmental persistence, and transmission of C. auris.

Indexed as

BiofilmsCandida aurisFungal ProteinsCandidiasisGene Expression Regulation, FungalHumansLoss of Function MutationPhenotypeFungal Proteins

Identifiers

PMID42259815
PMCPMC13586155

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.