Metals and the cell surface of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Won Hee Jung, Peng Xue, Guanggan Hu, James W Kronstad

Journal: Current opinion in microbiology 2023;74():102331

PMID: 37257400

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Abstract

Recent studies in pathogenic yeasts reinforce our appreciation of the influence of metal homeostasis on the fungal cell surface. To illustrate this influence, we focus on recent studies on Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen with a complex surface of a cell wall with embedded melanin and an attached polysaccharide capsule. Copper and iron are essential yet toxic metals, and current efforts demonstrate the importance of these metals for modulating the surface structure of C. neoformans cells in ways that contribute to fungal-host interactions during disease in vertebrate hosts. In this review, we briefly summarize mechanisms of acquisition and regulation for copper and iron, and then discuss recent insights into the connections between the metals and the cell surface.

Address: Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.; Department of Systems Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong 17546, Republic of Korea.; Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102331

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MeSH Terms: Cryptococcus neoformans, Copper, Fungal Proteins, Cryptococcosis, Iron