Amoeba Predation of Cryptococcus neoformans Results in Pleiotropic Changes to Traits Associated with Virulence.

ABSTRACT: Amoeboid predators, such as amoebae, are proposed to select for survival traits in soil microbes such as Cryptococcus neoformans; these traits can also function in animal virulence by defeating phagocytic immune cells, such as macrophages. Consistent with this notion, incubation of various fungal species with amoebae enhanced their virulence, but the mechanisms involved are unknown. In this study, we exposed three strains of C. neoformans (1 clinical and 2 environmental) to predation by Acanthamoeba castellanii for prolonged times and then analyzed surviving colonies phenotypically and genetically. Surviving colonies comprised cells that expressed either pseudohyphal or yeast phenotypes, which demonstrated variable expression of traits associated with virulence, such a

SUBMITTER: Fu MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8092252 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature