The role of Aspartyl aminopeptidase (Ape4) in Cryptococcus neoformans virulence and authophagy.

ABSTRACT: In order to survive and cause disease, microbial pathogens must be able to proliferate at the temperature of their infected host. We identified novel microbial features associated with thermotolerance in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans using a random insertional mutagenesis strategy, screening for mutants with defective growth at 37°C. Among several thermosensitive mutants, we identified one bearing a disruption in a gene predicted to encode the Ape4 aspartyl aminopeptidase protein. Ape4 metalloproteases in other fungi, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are activated by nitrogen starvation, and they are required for autophagy and the cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway. However, none have been previously associated with altered growth at elevated temper

SUBMITTER: Gontijo FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5444613 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature