Mycobiology.  2010 Mar;38(1):26-32.

Functional Characterization of cAMP-Regulated Gene, CAR1, in Cryptococcus neoformans

• Jung KW
• Maeng S
• Bahn YS

Abstract

The cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway plays a major role in growth, sexual differentiation, and virulence factor synthesis of pathogenic fungi. In Cryptococcus neoformans, perturbation of the cAMP pathway, such as a deletion in the gene encoding adenylyl cyclase (CAC1), causes defects in the production of virulence factors, including capsule and melanin production, as well as mating. Previously, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of the Ras- and cAMP- pathway mutants, which revealed 163 potential cAMP-regulated genes (38 genes at a 2-fold cutoff). The present study characterized the role of one of the cAMP pathway-dependent genes (serotype A identification number CNAG_ 06576.2). The expression patterns were confirmed by Northern blot analysis and the gene was designated cAMP-regulated gene 1 (CAR1). Interestingly, deletion of CAR1 did not affect biosynthesis of any virulence factors and the mating process, unlike the cAMP-signaling deficient cac1Delta mutant. Furthermore, the cac1Delta mutant exhibited wild-type levels of the stress-response phenotype against diverse environmental cues, indicating that Car1, albeit regulated by the cAMP-pathway, is not essential to confer a cAMP-dependent phenotype in C. neoformans.

Keyword

CAR1; Cryptococcus neoformans; Cyclic AMP; Transcriptome analysis

MeSH Terms

Adenylyl Cyclases
Blotting, Northern
Cryptococcus
Cryptococcus neoformans
Cues
Cyclic AMP
Fungi
Gene Expression Profiling
Melanins
Phenotype
Sex Differentiation
Virulence Factors
Cyclic AMP
Melanins
Virulence Factors