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Growth on Douglas fir media facilitates Cryptococcus virulence factor production and enhances fungal survival against environmental and immune stressors.
- Source :
-
Medical mycology [Med Mycol] 2024 Jul 04; Vol. 62 (7). - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- The yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are fungal pathogens that can be isolated from the environment, including the surfaces of many plants. Cryptococcus gattii caused an outbreak on Vancouver Island, British Columbia beginning in 1999 that has since spread to the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Coastal Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is an important lumber species and a major component of the ecosystems in this area. Previous research has explored Cryptococcus survival and mating on Douglas fir plants and plant-derived material, but no studies have been done on the production of cryptococcal virulence factors by cells grown on those media. Here, we investigated the effects of growth on Douglas fir-derived media on the production of the polysaccharide capsule and melanin, two of the most important cryptococcal virulence factors. We found that while the capsule was mostly unchanged by growth in Douglas fir media compared to cells grown in defined minimal media, Cryptococcus spp. can use substrates present in Douglas fir to synthesize functional and protective melanin. These results suggest mechanisms by which Cryptococcus species may survive in the environment and emphasize the need to explore how association with Douglas fir trees could affect its epidemiology for human cryptococcosis.<br /> (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)
- Subjects :
- Cryptococcus gattii pathogenicity
Cryptococcus gattii growth & development
Cryptococcus gattii drug effects
Fungal Capsules metabolism
Microbial Viability
Cryptococcosis microbiology
Humans
Virulence Factors
Melanins biosynthesis
Melanins metabolism
Cryptococcus neoformans pathogenicity
Cryptococcus neoformans growth & development
Cryptococcus neoformans drug effects
Cryptococcus neoformans metabolism
Culture Media chemistry
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1460-2709
- Volume :
- 62
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Medical mycology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38982313
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mmy/myae068