20719250

not annotated - annotated - LINNAEUS only

Regulation of virulence factors, carbon utilization and virulence by SNF1 in Cryptococcus neoformans JEC21 and divergent actions of SNF1 between cryptococcal strains.

We describe here the functions of a Snf1/AMPK homolog in the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, strain JEC21. We found that JEC21 SNF1 is a key regulator for the biosynthesis of the major virulence factors, stress resistance and alternative carbon source utilization. Disruption of JEC21 SNF1 results in defects of laccase activity and capsule production, sensitivity to cation stress. Especially, we found that JEC21 SNF1 is essential for growth at elevated temperature and for thermotolerance. To our knowledge, a role for Snf1 proteins in thermotolerance has not been reported. Furthermore, we observed a functional divergence between JEC21 SNF1 and its equivalent from serotype A strain H99. A high temperature is needed for H99 SNF1 to function in stress response and carbon source preference, but not for the JEC21 SNF1. Our results confirmed a critical role of JEC21 SNF1 in regulation of stress response and virulence. Revelation of divergent actions of SNF1 may help to understand the evolution of cryptococcal pathogenesis and provides insights into the strain-associated biosynthesis of virulence factors.



Ann file

T1	Species 77 106	Cryptococcus neoformans JEC21

N1 Reference T1 Taxonomy:5207

T2 Species 285 290 JEC21

N2 Reference T2 Taxonomy:5207

T3 Species 306 311 JEC21

N3 Reference T3 Taxonomy:5207

T4 Species 464 469 JEC21

N4 Reference T4 Taxonomy:5207

T5 Species 594 599 JEC21

N5 Reference T5 Taxonomy:5207

T6 Species 873 876 H99

N6 Reference T6 Taxonomy:5207

T7 Species 911 914 H99

N7 Reference T7 Taxonomy:5207

T8 Species 997 1002 JEC21

N8 Reference T8 Taxonomy:5207

T9 Species 1050 1055 JEC21

N9 Reference T9 Taxonomy:5207

T10 Species 253 276 Cryptococcus neoformans

T11 Species 230 235 human

T12 Out-of-scope 247 252 yeast

T13 Species 820 825 JEC21

N10 Reference T13 Taxonomy:5207

N11 Reference T10 Taxonomy:5207 Cryptococcus neoformans