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Killing of Caenorhabditis elegans by Cryptococcus neoformans as a model of yeast pathogenesis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Mylonakis, E; Ausubel, FM; Perfect, JR; Heitman, J; Calderwood, SB
Published in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
November 26, 2002

We found that the well-studied nematode Caenorhabditis elegans can use various yeasts, including Cryptococcus laurentii and Cryptococcus kuetzingii, as a sole source of food, producing similar brood sizes compared with growth on its usual laboratory food source Escherichia coli OP50. C. elegans grown on these yeasts had a life span similar to (C. laurentii) or longer than (C. kuetzingii) those fed on E. coli. However, the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans killed C. elegans, and the C. neoformans polysaccharide capsule as well as several C. neoformans genes previously shown to be involved in mammalian virulence were also shown to play a role in C. elegans killing. These included genes associated with signal transduction pathways (GPA1, PKA1, PKR1, and RAS1), laccase production (LAC1), and the alpha mating type. C. neoformans adenine auxotrophs, which are less virulent in mammals, were also less virulent in C. elegans. These results support the model that mammalian pathogenesis of C. neoformans may be a consequence of adaptations that have evolved during the interaction of C. neoformans with environmental predators such as free-living nematodes and amoebae and suggest that C. elegans can be used as a simple model host in which C. neoformans pathogenesis can be readily studied.

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Published In

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

DOI

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

November 26, 2002

Volume

99

Issue

24

Start / End Page

15675 / 15680

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virulence
  • Species Specificity
  • Signal Transduction
  • Polysaccharides
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Melanins
  • Longevity
  • Levodopa
  • Laccase
  • Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins
 

Citation

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Mylonakis, E., Ausubel, F. M., Perfect, J. R., Heitman, J., & Calderwood, S. B. (2002). Killing of Caenorhabditis elegans by Cryptococcus neoformans as a model of yeast pathogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 99(24), 15675–15680. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.232568599
Mylonakis, Eleftherios, Frederick M. Ausubel, John R. Perfect, Joseph Heitman, and Stephen B. Calderwood. “Killing of Caenorhabditis elegans by Cryptococcus neoformans as a model of yeast pathogenesis.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99, no. 24 (November 26, 2002): 15675–80. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.232568599.
Mylonakis E, Ausubel FM, Perfect JR, Heitman J, Calderwood SB. Killing of Caenorhabditis elegans by Cryptococcus neoformans as a model of yeast pathogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 26;99(24):15675–80.
Mylonakis, Eleftherios, et al. “Killing of Caenorhabditis elegans by Cryptococcus neoformans as a model of yeast pathogenesis.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, vol. 99, no. 24, Nov. 2002, pp. 15675–80. Pubmed, doi:10.1073/pnas.232568599.
Mylonakis E, Ausubel FM, Perfect JR, Heitman J, Calderwood SB. Killing of Caenorhabditis elegans by Cryptococcus neoformans as a model of yeast pathogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 26;99(24):15675–15680.
Journal cover image

Published In

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

DOI

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

November 26, 2002

Volume

99

Issue

24

Start / End Page

15675 / 15680

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virulence
  • Species Specificity
  • Signal Transduction
  • Polysaccharides
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Melanins
  • Longevity
  • Levodopa
  • Laccase
  • Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins