The bZIP transcription factor Atf1 governs the oxidative stress response and sexual differentiation of Cryptococcus neoformans downstream of the HOG pathway

ABSTRACT: The high osmolarity glycerol response (HOG) pathway plays a pivotal role in the stress response, virulence regulation, and differentiation of fungi, including Cryptococcus neoformans that causes fatal meningoencephalitis. Core signaling components of in the HOG pathway, including the Tco-Ypd1-Ssk1 phosphorelay system and the Ssk2-Pbs2-Hog1 MAPK module, have been elucidated but its downstream transcription factors remain unclear. Here we demonstrated that Atf1 with a basic leucine zipper domain is the transcription factor downstream of Hog1 in C. neoformans. We found that ATF1 expression was differentially regulated by oxidative damaging agents, mainly in a Hog1-dependent, but Mpk1-independent, manner. Interestingly, Atf1 not only promoted oxidative stress response and adaptation, but also

ORGANISM(S): Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii

SUBMITTER: Dong-Hoon Yang 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-64871 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress