Cell wall melanin impedes growth of the <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> polysaccharide capsule by sequestering calcium.

ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus neoformans has emerged as a frontrunner among deadly fungal pathogens and is particularly life-threatening for many HIV-infected individuals with compromised immunity. Multiple virulence factors contribute to the growth and survival of C. neoformans within the human host, the two most prominent of which are the polysaccharide capsule and melanin. As both of these features are associated with the cell wall, we were interested to explore possible cooperative or competitive interactions between these two virulence factors. Whereas capsule thickness had no effect on the rate at which cells became melanized, build-up of the melanin pigment layer resulted in a concomitant loss of polysaccharide material, leaving melanized cells with significantly thinner capsules than

SUBMITTER: Baker RP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11420191 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature