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Mating-type-specific and nonspecific PAK kinases play shared and divergent roles in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wang, P; Nichols, CB; Lengeler, KB; Cardenas, ME; Cox, GM; Perfect, JR; Heitman, J
Published in: Eukaryot Cell
April 2002

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with a defined sexual cycle involving fusion of haploid MATalpha and MATa cells. Virulence has been linked to the mating type, and MATalpha cells are more virulent than congenic MATa cells. To study the link between the mating type and virulence, we functionally analyzed three genes encoding homologs of the p21-activated protein kinase family: STE20alpha, STE20a, and PAK1. In contrast to the STE20 genes that were previously shown to be in the mating-type locus, the PAK1 gene is unlinked to the mating type. The STE20alpha, STE20a, and PAK1 genes were disrupted in serotype A and D strains of C. neoformans, revealing central but distinct roles in mating, differentiation, cytokinesis, and virulence. ste20alpha pak1 and ste20a pak1 double mutants were synthetically lethal, indicating that these related kinases share an essential function. In summary, our studies identify an association between the STE20alpha gene, the MATalpha locus, and virulence in a serotype A clinical isolate and provide evidence that PAK kinases function in a MAP kinase signaling cascade controlling the mating, differentiation, and virulence of this fungal pathogen.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Eukaryot Cell

DOI

ISSN

1535-9778

Publication Date

April 2002

Volume

1

Issue

2

Start / End Page

257 / 272

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virulence
  • Transcription Factors
  • Temperature
  • Serotyping
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Reproduction
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Rabbits
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Protein Kinases
 

Citation

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MLA
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Wang, P., Nichols, C. B., Lengeler, K. B., Cardenas, M. E., Cox, G. M., Perfect, J. R., & Heitman, J. (2002). Mating-type-specific and nonspecific PAK kinases play shared and divergent roles in Cryptococcus neoformans. Eukaryot Cell, 1(2), 257–272. https://doi.org/10.1128/EC.1.2.257-272.2002
Wang, Ping, Connie B. Nichols, Klaus B. Lengeler, Maria E. Cardenas, Gary M. Cox, John R. Perfect, and Joseph Heitman. “Mating-type-specific and nonspecific PAK kinases play shared and divergent roles in Cryptococcus neoformans.Eukaryot Cell 1, no. 2 (April 2002): 257–72. https://doi.org/10.1128/EC.1.2.257-272.2002.
Wang P, Nichols CB, Lengeler KB, Cardenas ME, Cox GM, Perfect JR, et al. Mating-type-specific and nonspecific PAK kinases play shared and divergent roles in Cryptococcus neoformans. Eukaryot Cell. 2002 Apr;1(2):257–72.
Wang, Ping, et al. “Mating-type-specific and nonspecific PAK kinases play shared and divergent roles in Cryptococcus neoformans.Eukaryot Cell, vol. 1, no. 2, Apr. 2002, pp. 257–72. Pubmed, doi:10.1128/EC.1.2.257-272.2002.
Wang P, Nichols CB, Lengeler KB, Cardenas ME, Cox GM, Perfect JR, Heitman J. Mating-type-specific and nonspecific PAK kinases play shared and divergent roles in Cryptococcus neoformans. Eukaryot Cell. 2002 Apr;1(2):257–272.

Published In

Eukaryot Cell

DOI

ISSN

1535-9778

Publication Date

April 2002

Volume

1

Issue

2

Start / End Page

257 / 272

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virulence
  • Transcription Factors
  • Temperature
  • Serotyping
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Reproduction
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Rabbits
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Protein Kinases