J. A. Alspaugh

A fungal lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase is required for cell wall integrity, thermotolerance, and virulence of the fungal human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Adaptive changes in the fungal cell wall mediate copper homeostasis

This study identifies Cbi1/Bim1 as a copper-binding protein in Cryptococcus neoformans that links copper homeostasis to adaptive changes in the fungal cell wall, including chitin and chitosan levels, and modulates host immune responses.

A hyper-immunogenic and slow-growing fungal strain induces a murine granulomatous response to cryptococcal infection

This study identifies a fungal strain with reduced growth and increased immunogenicity that induces granulomas in mice, providing a model for studying cryptococcal latency and reactivation.

Comparative analysis of RNA enrichment methods for preparation of Cryptococcus neoformans RNA sequencing libraries

This paper compares three RNA enrichment methods for RNA-Seq in Cryptococcus neoformans, finding that RNase H depletion outperforms others in rRNA removal and expression accuracy.

Internalization of the host alkaline pH signal in a fungal pathogen

This study identifies how the Rra1 protein in Cryptococcus neoformans internalizes and recycles in response to alkaline pH, enabling the fungus to adapt to the human host environment.

Sterol-response pathways mediate alkaline survival in diverse fungi

This study identifies the sterol homeostasis pathway as essential for fungal survival at alkaline pH, independent of the Rim pathway, and shows increased susceptibility to antifungals under alkaline conditions.

A fungal arrestin protein contributes to cell cycle progression and pathogenesis

This study identifies Ali1, a fungal arrestin protein, as a contributor to cytokinesis and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans by facilitating lipid synthesis and membrane modification.