A dissemination-prone morphotype enhances extrapulmonary organ entry by Cryptococcus neoformans.

ABSTRACT: Environmental pathogens move from ecological niches to mammalian hosts, requiring adaptation to dramatically different environments. Microbes that disseminate farther, including the fungal meningitis pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, require additional adaptation to diverse tissues. We demonstrate that the formation of a small C. neoformans morphotype-called "seed" cells due to their colonizing ability-is critical for extrapulmonary organ entry. Seed cells exhibit changes in fungal cell size and surface expression that result in an enhanced macrophage update. Seed cell formation is triggered by environmental factors, including C. neoformans' environmental niche, and pigeon guano with phosphate plays a central role. Seed cells show the enhanced expression of phosphate acquisition genes, and

SUBMITTER: Denham ST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9588642 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature