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PMID: 8692992 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Dimorphism and haploid fruiting in Cryptococcus neoformans: association with the alpha-mating type.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 93 ·No. 14 ·1996-07-09 ·Pages 7327-31

Wickes BL, Mayorga ME, Edman U, Edman JC

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is a major opportunistic fungal pathogen in AIDS and other immunosuppressed patients. We have shown that wild-type haploid C. neoformans can develop an extensive hyphal phase under appropriate conditions. Hyphae produced under these conditions are monokaryotic, possess unfused clamp connections, and develop basidia with viable basidiospores. The ability to undergo this transition is determined by the presence of the alpha-mating type locus and is independent of serotype. The association of the hyphal phase with the alpha-mating type may explain the preponderance of this mating type in the environment and the nature of the infectious propagule of C. neoformans.

MeSH Terms

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/microbiology Crosses, Genetic Cryptococcosis Cryptococcus neoformans/genetics,pathogenicity,physiology Haploidy Humans Mating Factor Peptide Biosynthesis Peptides Phenotype Pheromones Spores, Fungal

Chemicals

Peptides Pheromones Mating Factor

Authors & Affiliations

4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Wickes B L

Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

Mayorga M E

Edman U

Edman J C

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Article Info

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Abbr.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

ISSN

0027-8424

DOI

10.1073/pnas.93.14.7327

Published

1996-07-09

Pages

7327-31

Language

English

Region

United States

NLM ID

7505876

PMCID

PMC38983

Subset

Grants

NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI 29312 · United States

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.14.7327 PMC Full Text View journal details

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Dimorphism and haploid fruiting in Cryptococcus neoformans: association with the alpha-mating type.

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