Identification and properties of plasma membrane azole efflux pumps from the pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans.

Objectives Cryptococcus gattii from the North American Northwest (NW) have higher azole MICs than do non-NW C. gattii or Cryptococcus neoformans. Since mechanisms of azole resistance in C. gattii are not known, we identified C. gattii and C. neoformans plasma membrane azole efflux pumps and characterized their properties.