Fungal Infections and Studies

Cnes2b Regulates Host Resistance, Inflammatory Responses and Tissue Damage Following Cryptococcus deneoformans Infection

This study identifies Cnes2b as a regulator of host resistance and inflammation in response to Cryptococcus deneoformans infection, showing sex-dependent effects on fungal burden and tissue damage.

Cell wall melanin impedes growth of the Cryptococcus neoformans polysaccharide capsule by sequestering calcium

This study shows that melanin in Cryptococcus neoformans sequesters calcium, impairing polysaccharide capsule formation and leading to increased shed polysaccharide that may affect host immunity.

Hybrid Genome Sequence of Cryptococcus neoformans of Indian origin and comparative genome analysis

This study sequenced the genome of an Indian Cryptococcus neoformans isolate and conducted a comparative genomic analysis of 12 strains to explore virulence, resistance, and evolutionary relationships.

On the relationship between serotype, chemotype and genotype for Cryptococcus spp. including a method for including polysaccharide structure in strain characterization

This paper examines the relationship between serotype, chemotype, and genotype in Cryptococcus spp., finding no strong correlation between these classifications and GXM motif expression, and introduces a new method for polysaccharide characterization.

Immunological correlates of protection mediated by a whole organism Cryptococcus neoformans vaccine deficient in chitosan

This paper identifies CD4+ T cells and their cytokines IFNγ, TNF, and IL-23 as critical for vaccine-mediated protection against Cryptococcus neoformans, with protection retained after vaccination even with CD4+ T cell depletion.

Protection against experimental cryptococcosis elicited by Cationic Adjuvant Formulation 01-adjuvanted subunit vaccines

This paper develops multivalent cryptococcal vaccines using CAF01 adjuvant that protect mice from experimental cryptococcosis by inducing IFNγ and IL-17 responses.

Comparative genomics of Cryptococcus and Kwoniella reveals pathogenesis evolution and contrasting karyotype dynamics via intercentromeric recombination or chromosome fusion

The paper compares the genomes of pathogenic and non-pathogenic Cryptococcus species with related Kwoniella species, revealing gene gains/losses and chromosome fusion mechanisms linked to pathogenesis.

Proteins associated with Cryptococcus spp. extracellular polysaccharides are implicated in virulence, capsule integrity, and biofilm formation.

This study identifies four proteins associated with cryptococcal exopolysaccharides that affect virulence, capsule integrity, and biofilm formation through mutant analysis and mass spectrometry.

In vitro host transcriptomics during Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus gattii, and Candida albicans infection of South African volunteers

The paper compares the transcriptional responses of immune cells to three fungal pathogens in vitro, finding distinct expression patterns and a weaker response to cryptococcal stimuli.

Amoeba Predation of Cryptococcus: A Quantitative and Population Genomic Evaluation of the Accidental Pathogen Hypothesis

The paper tests the accidental pathogen hypothesis by identifying a QTL linked to amoeba resistance and melanization in Cryptococcus species, finding no correlation with macrophage resistance or virulence.

Leveraging a new data resource to define the response of C. neoformans to environmental signals

The paper systematically analyzes how environmental signals affect capsule size and gene expression in C. neoformans using a large RNA-Seq dataset.

Impact of pathogen genetics on clinical phenotypes in a population of Talaromyces marneffei from Vietnam

The paper uses population genomics and GWAS to analyze Talaromyces marneffei isolates from Vietnam, linking pathogen genetics to clinical phenotypes and identifying genomic regions under selection.

Using double cut in vitro assembled CRISPR/Cas9 to modify the genome of Coccidioides posadasii

The paper identifies a defensin-like gene in Coccidioides posadasii with high transcript levels in spherules and uses CRISPR-Cas9 to delete it.

Genomic variation across a clinical Cryptococcus population linked to disease outcome

This study links genetic variation in Cryptococcus neoformans to clinical outcomes and virulence in animal models using GWAS and genomic data from 284 isolates.

Human and murine Cryptococcus neoformans infection selects for common genomic changes in an environmental isolate.

The paper shows that environmental Cryptococcus neoformans strains undergo genomic and phenotypic changes during mammalian infection, suggesting animal virulence drives genetic adaptation.

Genetic and environmental influences on the evolution of virulence in the HIV-associated opportunistic human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

This study investigates how genetic and environmental factors influence virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from different sources.

Structural characterization and evolutionary analyses of the Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii mitochondrial genomes

The paper assembles and annotates mitochondrial genomes of Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii, and assesses population variation across 77 genomes, identifying common genes and introns.

Combining Natural Language Processing and Metabarcoding to Reveal Pathogen-Environment Associations

This paper uses NLP and metagenetic data to identify environmental associations of Cryptococcus neoformans, finding a link with decomposing wood.

POPULATION GENOMIC ANALYSIS OF CRYPTOCOCCUS BRAZILIAN ISOLATES REVEALS AN AFRICAN TYPE SUBCLADE DISTRIBUTION

This study analyzes the genomic structure of Brazilian Cryptococcus isolates, revealing an African-like subclade distribution and identifying a mutator phenotype in one isolate.

Pleiotropy and Epistasis Within and Between Signaling Pathways Defines the Genetic Architecture of Fungal Virulence

This paper identifies genetic loci and pathways underlying virulence traits in Cryptococcus deneoformans using QTL mapping and finds that key signaling pathways contribute to phenotypic variation.

Factors enforcing the species boundary between the human pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans

The paper investigates whether loss of the mismatch repair protein Msh2 relaxes species boundaries between Cryptococcus neoformans and C. deneoformans, finding increased hybrid viability and aneuploidy but no increased recombination.

Mating-type specific ribosomal proteins control aspects of sexual reproduction in Cryptococcus neoformans

This study identifies essential mating-type specific ribosomal proteins in Cryptococcus neoformans that regulate sexual reproduction and viability through differential expression and RNAi mechanisms.

Cryptococcus neoformans recovered from olive trees (Olea europaea) in Turkey reveal allopatry with African and South American lineages

The paper isolates and genetically analyzes Cryptococcus neoformans from olive trees in Turkey, revealing a novel niche and geographic distribution patterns of fungal lineages.

Identification of pathogen genomic differences that impact human immune response and disease during Cryptococcus neoformans infection

The paper identifies 40 Cryptococcus neoformans genes associated with human immune response and disease outcomes using clinical and genomic data from Ugandan patients.

Transcriptional heterogeneity of Cryptococcus gattii VGII compared with non-VGII lineages underpins key pathogenicity pathways

This study compares the transcriptional responses of four C. gattii lineages to macrophages, identifying lineage-specific gene expression patterns and pathogenicity-related processes.

Natural mismatch repair mutations mediate phenotypic diversity and drug resistance in Cryptococcus deuterogattii

The paper identifies a hypermutator lineage in Cryptococcus deuterogattii caused by an MSH2 mutation, leading to increased mutation rates and drug resistance.

MULTILOCUS SEQUENCE TYPING REVEALS A UNIQUE CO-DOMINANT POPULATION STRUCTURE OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS VAR. GRUBII IN VIETNAM

This study uses MLST to analyze Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii isolates from Vietnam and Laos, revealing a unique intermediate population structure compared to other regions.

Population Genomics Of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii Reveals New Biogeographic Relationships And Finely Maps Hybridization

This study analyzes the population genomics of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, revealing hybridization, biogeographic relationships, and genetic structure across global isolates.

Population Genomics And The Evolution Of Virulence In The Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

This study uses population genomics to explore how environmental selective pressures shaped virulence traits in Cryptococcus neoformans, identifying genetic differences between clinical and environmental isolates.

A population genomics approach to assessing the genetic basis of within-host microevolution underlying recurrent cryptococcal meningitis infection

The paper uses whole-genome sequencing to determine whether recurrent cryptococcal meningitis in HIV patients results from relapse or reinfection, finding clonal relationships in most cases and novel hypermutator mechanisms in others.