Genomewide location analysis of Candida albicans Upc2p, a regulator of sterol metabolism and azole drug resistance

Upc2p, a transcription factor of the zinc cluster family, is an important regulator of sterol biosynthesis and azole drug resistance in Candida albicans. To better understand Upc2p function in C. albicans, we used genomewide location profiling to identify the transcriptional targets of Upc2p in vivo. A triple hemagglutinin epitope, introduced at the C terminus of Upc2p, conferred a gain-of-function effect on the fusion protein. Location profiling identified 202 bound promoters (P < 0.05). Overrepresented functional groups of genes whose promoters were bound by Upc2p included 12 genes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis (NCP1, ERG11, ERG2, and others), 18 genes encoding ribosomal subunits (RPS30, RPL32, RPL12, and others), 3 genes encoding drug transporters (CDR1, MDR1, and YOR1), 4 genes encoding transcription factors (INO2, ACE2, SUT1, and UPC2), and 6 genes involved in sulfur amino acid metabolism (MET6, SAM2, SAH1, and others). Bioinformatic analyses suggested that Upc2p binds to the DNA motif 5'-VNCGBDTR that includes the previously characterized Upc2p binding site 5'-TCGTATA. Northern blot analysis showed that increased binding correlates with increased expression for the analyzed Upc2p targets (ERG11, MDR1, CDR1, YOR1, SUT1, SMF12, and CBP1). The analysis of ERG11, MDR1, and CDR1 transcripts in wild-type and upc2 Delta/upc2 Delta strains grown under Upc2p-activating conditions (lovastatin treatment and hypoxia) showed that Upc2p regulates its targets in a complex manner, acting as an activator or as a repressor depending upon the target and the activating condition. Taken together, our results indicate that Upc2p is a key regulator of ergosterol metabolism. They also suggest that Upc2p may contribute to azole resistance by regulating the expression of drug efflux pump-encoding genes in addition to ergosterol biosynthesis genes.