Phospholipid-binding protein Cts1 controls septation and functions coordinately with calcineurin in Cryptococcus neoformans.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. The Ca(2+)-calmodulin-activated protein phosphatase calcineurin is necessary for virulence of C. neoformans. Mutants lacking the calcineurin catalytic (Cna1) or regulatory (Cnb1) subunit fail to grow at elevated temperature and are defective in virulence and hyphal elongation. Here we isolated a multicopy suppressor gene, CTS1, which restores growth of a calcineurin mutant strain at 37 degrees C. The CTS1 gene (for calcineurin temperature suppressor 1) encodes a protein containing a C2 domain and a leucine zipper motif that may function as an effector of calcineurin. The CTS1 gene was disrupted by homologous recombination, and cts1 mutants were viable but exhibited defects in cell separation, growth, mating, and haploid fruiting. In addition, cts1 mutants were inviable when calcineurin was mutated or inhibited. Taken together, these findings suggest that calcineurin and Cts1 function in parallel pathways that regulate growth, cell separation, and hyphal elongation.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Fox, DS; Cox, GM; Heitman, J
Published Date
- October 1, 2003
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 2 / 5
Start / End Page
- 1025 - 1035
PubMed ID
- 14555485
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC219374
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1535-9778
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1128/EC.2.5.1025-1035.2003
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States