Modulation of fluconazole sensitivity by the interaction of mitochondria and Erg3p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We studied the effects of fluconazole, an ergosterol-depleting agent, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a genetically tractable fungus closely related to Candida albicans. The wild-type Saccharomyces strain was sensitive to fluconazole, but the isogenic cytoplasmic petite mutant (rho-) was resistant. The mechanism of resistance of rho- mutants appeared to involve uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation. However, the petite strain with a mutation in cent5, 6 desaturase (erg3 rho-) was sensitive to fluconazole, in contrast to its erg3 rho+ counterpart. It is known that erg3 mutants are azole resistant through the accumulation of 14-methyl-fecosterol, a less toxic ergosterol intermediate. These results indicate that mitochondria function as important physiological partners with Erg3p in the accumulation of toxic sterol intermediates in the presence of azoles.