Distinct and redundant roles of protein tyrosine phosphatases Ptp1 and Ptp2 in governing the differentiation and pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans.

ABSTRACT: Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) serve as key negative-feedback regulators of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades. However, their roles and regulatory mechanisms in human fungal pathogens remain elusive. In this study, we characterized the functions of two PTPs, Ptp1 and Ptp2, in Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes fatal meningoencephalitis. PTP1 and PTP2 were found to be stress-inducible genes, which were controlled by the MAPK Hog1 and the transcription factor Atf1. Ptp2 suppressed the hyperphosphorylation of Hog1 and was involved in mediating vegetative growth, sexual differentiation, stress responses, antifungal drug resistance, and virulence factor regulation through the negative-feedback loop of the HOG pathway. In contrast, Ptp1 was not essential for Hog

SUBMITTER: Lee KT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4054275 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature