Candida auris MNN1 contributes to human neutrophil evasion via mechanisms independent of β-glucan unmasking.

MNN1 gene in Candida auris reduces human neutrophil phagocytosis by altering mannan structures independently of β-glucan masking, with a 2-fold increase in phagocytosis observed.

• Why it matters: Understanding immune evasion mechanisms of C. auris is critical due to its high mortality rate and limited knowledge of host-pathogen interactions, especially regarding neutrophil responses.
• What they did: Researchers generated eight mannosylation mutants of C. auris and identified the mnn1 Δ mutant, which showed increased neutrophil phagocytosis without increased β-glucan exposure, and analyzed its mannan structure and receptor binding.
• The result: Altered mannan structures in mnn1 Δ increased affinity for Dectin-2 and Mincle receptors, revealing a novel immune evasion pathway that could inform future therapeutic strategies against C. auris infections.