Title: | "Transcription factor Nrg1 mediates capsule formation, stress response, and pathogenesis in Cryptococcus neoformans" |
Author(s): | Cramer KL; Gerrald QD; Nichols CB; Price MS; Alspaugh JA; |
Address: | "Department of Medicine and Molecular Genetics/Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center 3355, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1535-9778 (Print) 1535-9786 (Electronic) 1535-9786 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The Cryptococcus neoformans NRG1 gene was identified using gene microarrays to define putative transcription factor genes regulated by the cyclic AMP (cAMP) signal transduction pathway. Disruption of NRG1 results in delayed capsule formation and mating, two phenotypes that are directly controlled by cAMP signaling. Putative targets of the Nrg1 transcription factor were identified using a second genome microarray to define differences in the transcriptomes of the wild-type and nrg1 mutant strains. These experiments implicate Nrg1 in the transcriptional control of multiple genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and substrate oxidation, as well as the UGD1 gene encoding a UDP-glucose dehydrogenase required for polysaccharide capsule production and cell wall integrity. In addition to being under transcriptional control of the cAMP pathway, Nrg1 contains a putative protein kinase A phosphorylation site; mutation of this motif results in reduced Nrg1 activity. Consistent with prior studies in hypocapsular mutants, the nrg1 mutant strain is attenuated in an animal model of disseminated cryptococcal disease" |
Keywords: | Amino Acid Sequence Animals Biological Availability Cell Wall/metabolism Cryptococcus neoformans/*metabolism/*pathogenicity/*physiology Cyclic AMP/metabolism Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics/metabolism/*physiol; |
Notes: | "MedlineCramer, Kari L Gerrald, Quincy D Nichols, Connie B Price, Michael S Alspaugh, J Andrew eng T32 AI007392/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 AI050128/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ AI050128/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ T32 AI52080/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R21 AI050128/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ T32 AI052080/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R56 AI074677/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2006/07/13 Eukaryot Cell. 2006 Jul; 5(7):1147-56. doi: 10.1128/EC.00145-06" |