Clues to the innate drug resistance of a cocoa-fermenting pathogen
(PHYSorg.com Biology)

At first glance, the yeast Candida krusei seems as innocuous as microbes come: it`s used for fermenting cocoa beans and gives chocolate its pleasant aroma. But it`s increasingly found as a pathogen in immunocompromised patients-and C. krusei infections aren`t always easy to cure. This yeast is naturally resistant to fluconazole, a first-line antifungal that`s vital not just for treating many fungal infections but also for preventing them in susceptible populations. In the September issue of G3, Cuomo et al. unveil the first whole-genome sequence of a clinical sample of C. krusei, providing leads on genes that may be important for the species` fluconazole resistance.