Iron regulation of the major virulence factors in the AIDS-associated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans copper detoxification machinery is critical for fungal virulence

Copper (Cu) is an essential metal that is toxic at high concentrations. Thus, pathogens often rely on host Cu for growth, but host cells can hyperaccumulate Cu to exert antimicrobial effects. The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans encodes many Cu-responsive genes, but their role in infection is unclear. We determined that pulmonary C. neoformans infection results in Cu-specific induction of genes encoding the Cu-detoxifying metallothionein (Cmt) proteins. Mutant strains lacking CMTs or expressing Cmt variants defective in Cu-coordination exhibit severely attenuated virulence and reduced pulmonary colonization. Consistent with the upregulation of Cmt proteins, C. neoformans pulmonary infection results in increased serum Cu concentrations and increases and decreases alveolar macrophage expression of the Cu importer (Ctr1) and ATP7A, a transporter implicated in phagosomal Cu compartmentalization, respectively. These studies indicate that the host mobilizes Cu as an innate antifungal defense but C. neoformans senses and neutralizes toxic Cu to promote infection.

The Mannoprotein Cig1 supports iron acquisition from heme and virulence in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans

Iron acquisition is critical for virulence of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. The cryptococcal transcript for the extracellular mannoprotein Cig1 is highly regulated by iron and abundant in iron-starved cells, suggesting a role in iron acquisition. Indeed, loss of Cig1 resulted in delayed growth on heme at physiological pH. Expression of CIG1 is regulated by the pH-responsive transcription factor Rim101, and loss of Rim101 also impaired growth on heme. A cig1Δ mutant was less susceptible than the wild-type strain to noniron metalloporphyrins, further indicating a role for Cig1 in heme uptake. Recombinant Cig1 exhibited the absorbance spectrum of a heme-binding protein upon heme titration, and Cig1 may therefore function as a hemophore at the cell surface. Cig1 contributed to virulence in a mouse model of cryptococcosis but only in a mutant that also lacked the high-affinity iron uptake system. Overall, Cig1-mediated heme uptake is a potential therapeutic target in C. neoformans.

Iron metabolism in aerobes: managing ferric iron hydrolysis and ferrous iron autoxidation

Aerobes and anaerobes alike express a plethora of essential iron enzymes; in the resting state, the iron atom(s) in these proteins are in the ferrous state. For aerobes, ferric iron is the predominant environmental valence form which, given ferric iron's aqueous chemistry, occurs as 'rust', insoluble, bio-inert polymeric ferric oxide that results from the hydrolysis of [Fe(H(2)O)(6)](3+). Mobilizing this iron requires bio-ferrireduction which in turn requires managing the rapid autoxidation of the resulting Fe(II) which occurs at pH > 6. This review examines the aqueous redox chemistry of iron and the mechanisms evolved in aerobes to suppress the 'rusting out' of Fe(III) and the ROS-generating autoxidation of Fe(II) so as to make this metal ion available as the most ubiquitous prosthetic group in metallobiology.

Cryptococcus neoformans requires the ESCRT protein Vps23 for iron acquisition from heme, for capsule formation, and for virulence

Iron availability is a key regulator of virulence factor elaboration in Cryptococcus neoformans, the causative agent of fungal meningoencephalitis in HIV/AIDS patients. In addition, iron is an essential nutrient for pathogen proliferation in mammalian hosts but little is known about the mechanisms of iron sensing and uptake in fungal pathogens that attack humans. In this study, we mutagenized C. neoformans by Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA insertion and screened for mutants with reduced growth on heme as the sole iron source. Among 34 mutants, we identified a subset with insertions in the gene for the ESCRT-I (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) protein Vps23 that resulted in a growth defect on heme, presumably due to a defect in uptake via endocytosis or misregulation of iron acquisition from heme. Remarkably, vps23 mutants were also defective in the elaboration of the cell-associated capsular polysaccharide that is a major virulence factor, while overexpression of Vps23 resulted in cells with a slightly enlarged capsule. These phenotypes were mirrored by a virulence defect in the vps23 mutant in a mouse model of cryptococcosis and by hypervirulence of the overexpression strain. Overall, these results reveal an important role for trafficking via ESCRT functions in both heme uptake and capsule formation, and they further reinforce the connection between iron and virulence factor deployment in C. neoformans.

Coordination of hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis in human pathogenic fungi

In mammals, hypoxia causes facilitated erythropoiesis that requires increased iron availability with established links between oxygen and iron in regulation of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor. Therefore, cellular responses to hypoxia and iron starvation are linked in mammals and are host conditions that pathogens encounter during infection. In human pathogenic fungi, molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis have been investigated. However, the interconnected regulation of hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis remains to be fully elucidated. This review discusses the potential transcriptional regulatory links between hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis in human pathogenic fungi. Transcriptome analyses demonstrate that core regulators of hypoxia adaptation and iron homeostasis are involved in regulation of several common genes responsible for iron acquisition and ergosterol biosynthesis. Importantly, iron starvation increases susceptibility of fungal cells to antifungal drugs and decreased levels of ergosterol, while key hypoxia regulators are also involved in responses to antifungal drugs and mediating ergosterol levels. We suggest that pathogenic fungi have developed a coordinated regulatory system in response to hypoxia and iron starvation through (i) regulation of expression of hypoxia-responsive and iron-responsive genes via cross-linked key regulators, and/or (ii) regulation of factors involved in ergosterol biosynthesis. Thus, both oxygen and iron availability are intimately tied with fungal virulence and responses to existing therapeutics and further elucidation of their interrelationship should have significant clinical implications.

Post-transcriptional regulation of the Sef1 transcription factor controls the virulence of Candida albicans in its mammalian host

The yeast Candida albicans transitions between distinct lifestyles as a normal component of the human gastrointestinal microbiome and the most common agent of disseminated fungal disease. We previously identified Sef1 as a novel Cys₆Zn₂ DNA binding protein that plays an essential role in C. albicans virulence by activating the transcription of iron uptake genes in iron-poor environments such as the host bloodstream and internal organs. Conversely, in the iron-replete gastrointestinal tract, persistence as a commensal requires the transcriptional repressor Sfu1, which represses SEF1 and genes for iron uptake. Here, we describe an unexpected, transcription-independent role for Sfu1 in the direct inhibition of Sef1 function through protein complex formation and localization in the cytoplasm, where Sef1 is destabilized. Under iron-limiting conditions, Sef1 forms an alternative complex with the putative kinase, Ssn3, resulting in its phosphorylation, nuclear localization, and transcriptional activity. Analysis of sfu1 and ssn3 mutants in a mammalian model of disseminated candidiasis indicates that these post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms serve as a means for precise titration of C. albicans virulence.

Candida albicans is a fungus that resides on the skin and in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other mammals. However, this commensal organism is also capable of proliferating and causing disease in people who have received antibiotics, who are immunocompromised, or who have suffered injury to epithelial layers. We previously identified a novel transcription factor called Sef1 that promotes C. albicans virulence by activating the expression of iron uptake genes in iron-poor environments, such as the host bloodstream. However, in iron-replete environments such as the gastrointestinal niche, the SEF1 gene is repressed by a second transcription factor called Sfu1. Here, we report our discovery of a series of post-transcriptional regulatory events that determine the intracellular localization, stability, and activity of Sef1 protein. Mutants that disrupt these post-transcriptional events alter C. albicans virulence in a mammalian model of disseminated infection. The existence of multiple levels of regulation speaks to the importance of Sef1 in C. albicans virulence and suggests that close titration of Sef1 activity is important for adaptation to distinct microenvironments within the mammalian host.

The Cryptococcus neoformans capsule: a sword and a shield

The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is characterized by its ability to induce a distinct polysaccharide capsule in response to a number of host-specific environmental stimuli. The induction of capsule is a complex biological process encompassing regulation at multiple steps, including the biosynthesis, transport, and maintenance of the polysaccharide at the cell surface. By precisely regulating the composition of its cell surface and secreted polysaccharides, C. neoformans has developed intricate ways to establish chronic infection and dormancy in the human host. The plasticity of the capsule structure in response to various host conditions also underscores the complex relationship between host and parasite. Much of this precise regulation of capsule is achieved through the transcriptional responses of multiple conserved signaling pathways that have been coopted to regulate this C. neoformans-specific virulence-associated phenotype. This review focuses on specific host stimuli that trigger the activation of the signal transduction cascades and on the downstream transcriptional responses that are required for robust encapsulation around the cell.

A defect in iron uptake enhances the susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans to azole antifungal drugs

The high-affinity reductive iron uptake system that includes a ferroxidase (Cfo1) and an iron permease (Cft1) is critical for the pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans. In addition, a mutant lacking CFO1 or CFT1 not only has reduced iron uptake but also displays a markedly increased susceptibility to azole antifungal drugs. Altered antifungal susceptibility of the mutants was of particular interest because the iron uptake system has been proposed as an alternative target for antifungal treatment. In this study, we used transcriptome analysis to begin exploring the molecular mechanisms of altered antifungal susceptibility in a cfo1 mutant. The wild-type strain and the cfo1 mutant were cultured with or without the azole antifungal drug fluconazole and their transcriptomes were compared following sequencing with Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx (GAIIx) technology. As expected, treatment of both strains with fluconazole caused elevated expression of genes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway that includes the target enzyme Erg11. Additionally, genes differentially expressed in the cfo1 mutant were involved in iron uptake and homeostasis, mitochondrial functions and respiration. The cfo1 mutant also displayed phenotypes consistent with these changes including a reduced ratio of NAD(+)/NADH and down-regulation of Fe-S cluster synthesis. Moreover, combination treatment of the wild-type strain with fluconazole and the respiration inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium dramatically increased susceptibility to fluconazole. This result supports the hypothesis that down-regulation of genes required for respiration contributed to the altered fluconazole susceptibility of the cfo1 mutant. Overall, our data suggest that iron uptake and homeostasis play a key role in antifungal susceptibility and could be used as novel targets for combination treatment of cryptococcosis. Indeed, we found that iron chelation in combination with fluconazole treatment synergistically inhibited the growth of C. neoformans.

Zap1 regulates zinc homeostasis and modulates virulence in Cryptococcus gattii

Zinc homeostasis is essential for fungal growth, as this metal is a critical structural component of several proteins, including transcription factors. The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii obtains zinc from the stringent zinc-limiting milieu of the host during the infection process. To characterize the zinc metabolism in C. gattii and its relationship to fungal virulence, the zinc finger protein Zap1 was functionally characterized. The C. gattii ZAP1 gene is an ortholog of the master regulatory genes zafA and ZAP1 that are found in Aspergillus fumigatus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively. There is some evidence to support an association between Zap1 and zinc metabolism in C. gattii: (i) ZAP1 expression is highly induced during zinc deprivation, (ii) ZAP1 knockouts demonstrate impaired growth in zinc-limiting conditions, (iii) Zap1 regulates the expression of ZIP zinc transporters and distinct zinc-binding proteins and (iv) Zap1 regulates the labile pool of intracellular zinc. In addition, the deletion of ZAP1 reduces C. gattii virulence in a murine model of cryptococcosis infection. Based on these observations, we postulate that proper zinc metabolism plays a crucial role in cryptococcal virulence.

Influence of iron regulation on the metabolome of Cryptococcus neoformans

Iron is an essential nutrient for virtually all organisms and acts as a cofactor for many key enzymes of major metabolic pathways. Furthermore, iron plays a critical role in pathogen-host interactions. In this study, we analyzed metabolomic changes associated with iron availability and the iron regulatory protein Cir1 in a human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Our metabolite analysis revealed that Cir1 influences the glycolytic pathway, ergosterol biosynthesis and inositol metabolism, which require numerous iron-dependent enzymes and play important roles in pathogenesis and antifungal sensitivity of the fungus. Moreover, we demonstrated that increased cellular iron content and altered gene expression in the cir1 mutant contributed to metabolite changes. Our study provides a new insight into iron regulation and the role of Cir1 in metabolome of C. neoformans.

The monothiol glutaredoxin Grx4 exerts an iron-dependent inhibitory effect on Php4 function

When iron is scarce, Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells repress transcription of several genes that encode iron-using proteins. Php4 mediates this transcriptional control by specifically interacting with the CCAAT-binding core complex that is composed of Php2, Php3, and Php5. In contrast, when there is sufficient iron, Php4 is inactivated, thus allowing the transcription of many genes that encode iron-requiring proteins. Analysis by bimolecular fluorescence complementation and two-hybrid assays showed that Php4 and the monothiol glutaredoxin Grx4 physically interact with each other. Deletion mapping analysis revealed that the glutaredoxin (GRX) domain of Grx4 associates with Php4 in an iron-dependent manner. Site-directed mutagenesis identified the Cys172 of Grx4 as being required for this iron-dependent association. Subsequent analysis showed that, although the thioredoxin (TRX) domain of Grx4 interacts strongly with Php4, this interaction is insensitive to iron. Fine mapping analysis revealed that the Cys35 of Grx4 is necessary for the association between the TRX domain and Php4. Taken together, the results revealed that whereas the TRX domain interacts constitutively with Php4, the GRX domain-Php4 association is both modulated by iron and required for the inhibition of Php4 activity in response to iron repletion.

Characterization of an Nmr homolog that modulates GATA factor-mediated nitrogen metabolite repression in Cryptococcus neoformans

Nitrogen source utilization plays a critical role in fungal development, secondary metabolite production and pathogenesis. In both the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, GATA transcription factors globally activate the expression of catabolic enzyme-encoding genes required to degrade complex nitrogenous compounds. However, in the presence of preferred nitrogen sources such as ammonium, GATA factor activity is inhibited in some species through interaction with co-repressor Nmr proteins. This regulatory phenomenon, nitrogen metabolite repression, enables preferential utilization of readily assimilated nitrogen sources. In the basidiomycete pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, the GATA factor Gat1/Are1 has been co-opted into regulating multiple key virulence traits in addition to nitrogen catabolism. Here, we further characterize Gat1/Are1 function and investigate the regulatory role of the predicted Nmr homolog Tar1. While GAT1/ARE1 expression is induced during nitrogen limitation, TAR1 transcription is unaffected by nitrogen availability. Deletion of TAR1 leads to inappropriate derepression of non-preferred nitrogen catabolic pathways in the simultaneous presence of favoured sources. In addition to exhibiting its evolutionary conserved role of inhibiting GATA factor activity under repressing conditions, Tar1 also positively regulates GAT1/ARE1 transcription under non-repressing conditions. The molecular mechanism by which Tar1 modulates nitrogen metabolite repression, however, remains open to speculation. Interaction between Tar1 and Gat1/Are1 was undetectable in a yeast two-hybrid assay, consistent with Tar1 and Gat1/Are1 each lacking the conserved C-terminus regions present in ascomycete Nmr proteins and GATA factors that are known to interact with each other. Importantly, both Tar1 and Gat1/Are1 are suppressors of C. neoformans virulence, reiterating and highlighting the paradigm of nitrogen regulation of pathogenesis.

Hypoxia and fungal pathogenesis: to air or not to air?

Over the last 3 decades, the frequency of life-threatening human fungal infections has increased as advances in medical therapies, solid-organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantations, an increasing geriatric population, and HIV infections have resulted in significant rises in susceptible patient populations. Although significant advances have been made in understanding how fungi cause disease, the dynamic microenvironments encountered by fungi during infection and the mechanisms by which they adapt to these microenvironments are not fully understood. As inhibiting and preventing in vivo fungal growth are main goals of antifungal therapies, understanding in vivo fungal metabolism in these host microenvironments is critical for the improvement of existing therapies or the design of new approaches. In this minireview, we focus on the emerging appreciation that pathogenic fungi like Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus are exposed to oxygen-limited or hypoxic microenvironments during fungal pathogenesis. The implications of these in vivo hypoxic microenvironments for fungal metabolism and pathogenesis are discussed with an aim toward understanding the potential impact of hypoxia on invasive fungal infection outcomes.

Molecular mechanisms of cryptococcal meningitis

Fungal meningitis is a serious disease caused by a fungal infection of the central nervous system (CNS) mostly in individuals with immune system deficiencies. Fungal meningitis is often fatal without proper treatment, and the mortality rate remains unacceptably high even with antifungal drug interventions. Currently, cryptococcal meningitis is the most common fungal meningitis in HIV-1/AIDS, and its disease mechanism has been extensively studied. The key steps for fungi to infect brain and cause meningitis after establishment of local infection are the dissemination of fungal cells to the bloodstream and invasion through the blood brain barrier to reach the CNS. In this review, we use cryptococcal CNS infection as an example to describe the current molecular understanding of fungal meningitis, including the establishment of the infection, dissemination, and brain invasion. Host and microbial factors that contribute to these infection steps are also discussed.

Toward an integrated model of capsule regulation in Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes serious human disease in immunocompromised populations. Its polysaccharide capsule is a key virulence factor which is regulated in response to growth conditions, becoming enlarged in the context of infection. We used microarray analysis of cells stimulated to form capsule over a range of growth conditions to identify a transcriptional signature associated with capsule enlargement. The signature contains 880 genes, is enriched for genes encoding known capsule regulators, and includes many uncharacterized sequences. One uncharacterized sequence encodes a novel regulator of capsule and of fungal virulence. This factor is a homolog of the yeast protein Ada2, a member of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase (SAGA) complex that regulates transcription of stress response genes via histone acetylation. Consistent with this homology, the C. neoformans null mutant exhibits reduced histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation. It is also defective in response to a variety of stress conditions, demonstrating phenotypes that overlap with, but are not identical to, those of other fungi with altered SAGA complexes. The mutant also exhibits significant defects in sexual development and virulence. To establish the role of Ada2 in the broader network of capsule regulation we performed RNA-Seq on strains lacking either Ada2 or one of two other capsule regulators: Cir1 and Nrg1. Analysis of the results suggested that Ada2 functions downstream of both Cir1 and Nrg1 via components of the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway. To identify direct targets of Ada2, we performed ChIP-Seq analysis of histone acetylation in the Ada2 null mutant. These studies supported the role of Ada2 in the direct regulation of capsule and mating responses and suggested that it may also play a direct role in regulating capsule-independent antiphagocytic virulence factors. These results validate our experimental approach to dissecting capsule regulation and provide multiple targets for future investigation.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen that causes serious disease in immunocompromised individuals, killing over 600,000 people per year worldwide. A major factor in the ability of this microbe to cause disease is an extensive polysaccharide capsule that surrounds the cell and interferes with the host immune response to infection. This capsule expands dramatically in certain growth conditions, including those found in the mammalian host. We grew cells in multiple conditions and assessed gene expression and capsule size. This allowed us to identify a ‘transcriptional signature’ of genes whose expression correlates with capsule size; we speculated that a subset of these genes acts in capsule regulation. To test this hypothesis, we characterized one previously unstudied gene in this signature and found it to be a novel regulator of capsule expansion, fungal virulence, and mating. This gene encodes cryptococcal Ada2, a well-conserved protein that regulates genes involved in stress response and development. We used phenotypic analysis, RNA sequencing, and chromatin-immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) to situate Ada2 in the complex network of genes that regulate capsule and other cryptococcal virulence factors. This approach, which yielded insights into the regulation of a critical fungal virulence factor, is applicable to similar questions in other pathogens.

Adaptation of Cryptococcus neoformans to mammalian hosts: integrated regulation of metabolism and virulence

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans infects humans via inhalation of desiccated yeast cells or spores from the environment. In the absence of effective immune containment, the initial pulmonary infection often spreads to the central nervous system to result in meningoencephalitis. The fungus must therefore make the transition from the environment to different mammalian niches that include the intracellular locale of phagocytic cells and extracellular sites in the lung, bloodstream, and central nervous system. Recent studies provide insights into mechanisms of adaptation during this transition that include the expression of antiphagocytic functions, the remodeling of central carbon metabolism, the expression of specific nutrient acquisition systems, and the response to hypoxia. Specific transcription factors regulate these functions as well as the expression of one or more of the major known virulence factors of C. neoformans. Therefore, virulence factor expression is to a large extent embedded in the regulation of a variety of functions needed for growth in mammalian hosts. In this regard, the complex integration of these processes is reminiscent of the master regulators of virulence in bacterial pathogens.

SREBP coordinates iron and ergosterol homeostasis to mediate triazole drug and hypoxia responses in the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus

Sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) are a class of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that regulate diverse cellular responses in eukaryotes. Adding to the recognized importance of SREBPs in human health, SREBPs in the human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus are required for fungal virulence and susceptibility to triazole antifungal drugs. To date, the exact mechanism(s) behind the role of SREBP in these observed phenotypes is not clear. Here, we report that A. fumigatus SREBP, SrbA, mediates regulation of iron acquisition in response to hypoxia and low iron conditions. To further define SrbA's role in iron acquisition in relation to previously studied fungal regulators of iron metabolism, SreA and HapX, a series of mutants were generated in the ΔsrbA background. These data suggest that SrbA is activated independently of SreA and HapX in response to iron limitation, but that HapX mRNA induction is partially dependent on SrbA. Intriguingly, exogenous addition of high iron or genetic deletion of sreA in the ΔsrbA background was able to partially rescue the hypoxia growth, triazole drug susceptibility, and decrease in ergosterol content phenotypes of ΔsrbA. Thus, we conclude that the fungal SREBP, SrbA, is critical for coordinating genes involved in iron acquisition and ergosterol biosynthesis under hypoxia and low iron conditions found at sites of human fungal infections. These results support a role for SREBP-mediated iron regulation in fungal virulence, and they lay a foundation for further exploration of SREBP's role in iron homeostasis in other eukaryotes.

SRE1 regulates iron-dependent and -independent pathways in the fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum

Regulation of iron acquisition genes is critical for microbial survival under both iron-limiting conditions (to acquire essential iron) and iron-replete conditions (to limit iron toxicity). In fungi, iron acquisition genes are repressed under iron-replete conditions by a conserved GATA transcriptional regulator. Here we investigate the role of this transcription factor, Sre1, in the cellular responses of the fungal pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum to iron. We showed that cells in which SRE1 levels were diminished by RNA interference were unable to repress siderophore biosynthesis and utilization genes in the presence of abundant iron and thus produced siderophores even under iron-replete conditions. Mutation of a GATA-containing consensus site found in the promoters of these genes also resulted in inappropriate gene expression under iron-replete conditions. Microarray analysis comparing control and SRE1-depleted strains under conditions of iron limitation or abundance revealed both iron-responsive genes and Sre1-dependent genes, which comprised distinct but overlapping sets. Iron-responsive genes included those encoding putative oxidoreductases, metabolic and mitochondrial enzymes, superoxide dismutase, and nitrosative-stress-response genes; Sre1-dependent genes were of diverse functions. Genes regulated by iron levels and Sre1 included all of the siderophore biosynthesis genes, a gene involved in reductive iron acquisition, an iron-responsive transcription factor, and two catalases. Based on transcriptional profiling and phenotypic analyses, we conclude that Sre1 plays a critical role in the regulation of both traditional iron-responsive genes and iron-independent pathways such as regulation of cell morphology. These data highlight the evolving realization that the effect of Sre1 orthologs on fungal biology extends beyond the iron regulon.

Paradoxical roles of alveolar macrophages in the host response to Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is a fungal pathogen that is a serious health threat to immunocompromised individuals. Upon environmental exposure, infectious fungal propagules are inhaled into the host's lungs. The anticryptococcal actions of alveolar macrophages (AM), the predominant host phagocyte of the innate immune system in the lungs, are fundamental in determining whether containment and clearance of the pathogen occurs by the development of an adapted immune response or whether infection is established and progresses to disease. However, the fungus is also capable of surviving the antimicrobial actions of AM and exploits these host phagocytes to establish infection and exacerbate disease. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that cryptococcosis may occur following reactivation of latent cryptococcal infection. Currently, the role of AM and the fungal factors contributing to latent cryptococcosis are unknown. This review examines the AM-Cn interaction and how it affects the development of pulmonary disease with a focus on host and pathogen factors enabling latency to occur.

Proteomic profiling of the influence of iron availability on Cryptococcus gattii

Iron is essential and ubiquitous in living organisms. The competition for this micronutrient between the host and its pathogens has been related to disease establishment. Cryptococcus gattii is an encapsulated yeast that causes cryptococcosis mainly in immunocompetent individuals. In this study, we analyzed the proteomic profile of the C. gattii R265 Vancouver Island isolate under iron-depleted and -repleted conditions by multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) and by 2D-GE. Proteins and key mechanisms affected by alteration of iron levels such as capsule production, cAMP-signaling pathway, response to stress, and metabolic pathways related to mitochondrial function were identified. Our results also show both proteomic methodologies employed to be complementary.

Iron influences the abundance of the iron regulatory protein Cir1 in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

The GATA-type, zinc-finger protein Cir1 regulates iron uptake, iron homeostasis and virulence factor expression in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. The mechanisms by which Cir1 senses iron availability, although as yet undefined, are important for understanding the proliferation of the fungus in mammalian hosts. We investigated the influence of iron availability on Cir1 and found that the abundance of the protein decreases upon iron deprivation. This destabilization was influenced by reducing conditions and by inhibition of proteasome function. The combined data suggest a post-translational mechanism for the control of Cir1 abundance in response to iron and redox status.

The cAMP/Protein Kinase A Pathway and Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an important pathogen of immunocompromised people. The ability of the fungus to sense its environment is critical for proliferation and the generation of infectious propagules, as well as for adaptation to the mammalian host during infection. The conserved cAMP/protein kinase A pathway makes an important contribution to sensing, as demonstrated by the phenotypes of mutants with pathway defects. These phenotypes include loss of the ability to mate and to elaborate the key virulence factors capsule and melanin. This review summarizes recent work that reveals new targets of the pathway, new phenotypic consequences of signaling defects, and a more detailed understanding of connections with other aspects of cryptococcal biology including iron regulation, pH sensing, and stress.

Emerging themes in cryptococcal capsule synthesis

Cryptococcus neoformans, a basidiomycete yeast and opportunistic pathogen, expends significant biosynthetic effort on construction of a polysaccharide capsule with a radius that may be many times that of the cell. Beyond posing a stimulating challenge in terms of defining biosynthetic pathways, the capsule is required for this yeast to cause fatal disease. This combination has focused the attention of researchers on this system. Here we briefly review two aspects of the rapidly advancing field of capsule synthesis: the extensive variation that occurs in capsule polymers and the regulation of capsule biosynthesis.

The copper regulon of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans H99

Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that is the causative agent of cryptococcosis and fatal meningitis in immuno-compromised hosts. Recent studies suggest that copper (Cu) acquisition plays an important role in C. neoformans virulence, as mutants that lack Cuf1, which activates the Ctr4 high affinity Cu importer, are hypo-virulent in mouse models. To understand the constellation of Cu-responsive genes in C. neoformans and how their expression might contribute to virulence, we determined the transcript profile of C. neoformans in response to elevated Cu or Cu deficiency. We identified two metallothionein genes (CMT1 and CMT2), encoding cysteine-rich Cu binding and detoxifying proteins, whose expression is dramatically elevated in response to excess Cu. We identified a new C. neoformans Cu transporter, CnCtr1, that is induced by Cu deficiency and is distinct from CnCtr4 and which shows significant phylogenetic relationship to Ctr1 from other fungi. Surprisingly, in contrast to other fungi, we found that induction of both CnCTR1 and CnCTR4 expression under Cu limitation, and CMT1 and CMT2 in response to Cu excess, are dependent on the CnCuf1 Cu metalloregulatory transcription factor. These studies set the stage for the evaluation of the specific Cuf1 target genes required for virulence in C. neoformans.

An iron homeostasis regulatory circuit with reciprocal roles in Candida albicans commensalism and pathogenesis

The mammalian gastrointestinal tract and bloodstream are highly disparate biological niches that differ in concentrations of nutrients such as iron. However, some commensal-pathogenic microorganisms, such as the yeast Candida albicans, thrive in both environments. We report the evolution of a transcription circuit in C. albicans that controls iron uptake and determines its fitness in both niches. Our analysis of DNA-binding proteins that regulate iron uptake by this organism suggests the evolutionary intercalation of a transcriptional activator called Sef1 between two broadly conserved iron-responsive transcriptional repressors, Sfu1 and Hap43. Sef1 activates iron-uptake genes and promotes virulence in a mouse model of bloodstream infection, whereas Sfu1 represses iron-uptake genes and is dispensable for virulence but promotes gastrointestinal commensalism. Thus, C. albicans can alternate between genetic programs conferring resistance to iron depletion in the bloodstream versus iron toxicity in the gut, and this may represent a fundamental attribute of gastrointestinal commensal-pathogens.

Proteomic analysis reveals that iron availability alters the metabolic status of the pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is a thermodimorphic fungus and the causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). The ability of P. brasiliensis to uptake nutrients is fundamental for growth, but a reduction in the availability of iron and other nutrients is a host defense mechanism many pathogenic fungi must overcome. Thus, fungal mechanisms that scavenge iron from host may contribute to P. brasiliensis virulence. In order to better understand how P. brasiliensis adapts to iron starvation in the host we compared the two-dimensional (2D) gel protein profile of yeast cells during iron starvation to that of iron rich condition. Protein spots were selected for comparative analysis based on the protein staining intensity as determined by image analysis. A total of 1752 protein spots were selected for comparison, and a total of 274 out of the 1752 protein spots were determined to have changed significantly in abundance due to iron depletion. Ninety six of the 274 proteins were grouped into the following functional categories; energy, metabolism, cell rescue, virulence, cell cycle, protein synthesis, protein fate, transcription, cellular communication, and cell fate. A correlation between protein and transcript levels was also discovered using quantitative RT-PCR analysis from RNA obtained from P. brasiliensis under iron restricting conditions and from yeast cells isolated from infected mouse spleens. In addition, western blot analysis and enzyme activity assays validated the differential regulation of proteins identified by 2-D gel analysis. We observed an increase in glycolytic pathway protein regulation while tricarboxylic acid cycle, glyoxylate and methylcitrate cycles, and electron transport chain proteins decreased in abundance under iron limiting conditions. These data suggest a remodeling of P. brasiliensis metabolism by prioritizing iron independent pathways.

A major role for capsule-independent phagocytosis-inhibitory mechanisms in mammalian infection by Cryptococcus neoformans

The antiphagocytic polysaccharide capsule of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a major virulence attribute. However, previous studies of the pleiotropic virulence determinant Gat201, a GATA family transcription factor, suggested that capsule-independent antiphagocytic mechanisms exist. We have determined that Gat201 controls the mRNA levels of ∼1100 genes (16% of the genome) and binds the upstream regions of ∼130 genes. Seven Gat201-bound genes encode for putative and known transcription factors--including two previously implicated in virulence--suggesting an extensive regulatory network. Systematic analysis pinpointed two critical Gat201-bound genes, GAT204 (a transcription factor) and BLP1, which account for much of the capsule-independent antiphagocytic function of Gat201. A strong correlation was observed between the quantitative effects of single and double mutants on phagocytosis in vitro and on host colonization in vivo. This genetic dissection provides evidence that capsule-independent antiphagocytic mechanisms are pivotal for successful mammalian infection by C. neoformans.

Nitrogen metabolite repression of metabolism and virulence in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Proper regulation of metabolism is essential to maximizing fitness of organisms in their chosen environmental niche. Nitrogen metabolite repression is an example of a regulatory mechanism in fungi that enables preferential utilization of easily assimilated nitrogen sources, such as ammonium, to conserve resources. Here we provide genetic, transcriptional, and phenotypic evidence of nitrogen metabolite repression in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. In addition to loss of transcriptional activation of catabolic enzyme-encoding genes of the uric acid and proline assimilation pathways in the presence of ammonium, nitrogen metabolite repression also regulates the production of the virulence determinants capsule and melanin. Since GATA transcription factors are known to play a key role in nitrogen metabolite repression, bioinformatic analyses of the C. neoformans genome were undertaken and seven predicted GATA-type genes were identified. A screen of these deletion mutants revealed GAT1, encoding the only global transcription factor essential for utilization of a wide range of nitrogen sources, including uric acid, urea, and creatinine-three predominant nitrogen constituents found in the C. neoformans ecological niche. In addition to its evolutionarily conserved role in mediating nitrogen metabolite repression and controlling the expression of catabolic enzyme and permease-encoding genes, Gat1 also negatively regulates virulence traits, including infectious basidiospore production, melanin formation, and growth at high body temperature (39°-40°). Conversely, Gat1 positively regulates capsule production. A murine inhalation model of cryptococcosis revealed that the gat1Δ mutant is slightly more virulent than wild type, indicating that Gat1 plays a complex regulatory role during infection.

Expanding fungal pathogenesis: Cryptococcus breaks out of the opportunistic box

Cryptococcus neoformans is generally considered to be an opportunistic fungal pathogen because of its tendency to infect immunocompromised individuals, particularly those infected with HIV. However, this view has been challenged by the recent discovery of specialized interactions between the fungus and its mammalian hosts, and by the emergence of the related species Cryptococcus gattii as a primary pathogen of immunocompetent populations. In this Review, we highlight features of cryptococcal pathogens that reveal their adaptation to the mammalian environment. These features include not only remarkably sophisticated interactions with phagocytic cells to promote intracellular survival, dissemination to the central nervous system and escape, but also surprising morphological and genomic adaptations such as the formation of polyploid giant cells in the lung.

War-Fe-re: iron at the core of fungal virulence and host immunity

Iron acquisition is a bona fide virulence determinant. The successful colonization of the mammalian host requires that microorganisms overcome the Fe aridity of this milieu in which the levels of circulating Fe are maintained exceedingly low both through the compartmentalization of this nutrient within cells as well as the tight binding of Fe to host circulating proteins and ligands. Microbes notoriously employ multiple strategies for high affinity Fe acquisition from the host that rely either on the expression of receptors for host Fe-binding proteins and ligands, its reduction by cell surface reductases or the utilization of siderophores, small organic molecules with very high affinity for Fe(3+). This review will discuss the multiple mechanisms deployed by fungal pathogens in Fe acquisition focusing on the role of siderophore utilization in virulence as well as host immune strategies of iron withholding and emerging clinical evidence that human disorders of Fe homeostasis can act as modifiers of infectious disease.

The iron-responsive, GATA-type transcription factor Cir1 influences mating in Cryptococcus neoformans

Mating and sexual development have been associated with virulence in various fungal pathogens including Cryptococcus neoformans. This fungus is a significant pathogen of humans because it causes life-threatening cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients. The virulence of C. neoformans is known to be associated with the mating type of the cells (α or a), with the α mating type being predominant among clinical isolates. However, the mechanisms by which mating and sexual development are controlled by environmental conditions and their relationship with virulence require further investigation. Cir1 is a GATA-type transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes required for utilization of essential metals such as iron and copper, and also genes required for major virulence factors including the polysaccharide capsule and melanin. Here we investigated the role of Cir1 in the mating of C. neoformans. Our results demonstrate that mutants lacking CIR1 are defective in mating, and that Cir1 contributes to copper mediated enhancement of sexual filamentation. Furthermore, we found that Cir1 influences the expression of mating pheromone genes suggesting that this protein plays a role in the early phase of sexual development on V8 mating medium.

Candida albicans Hap43 is a repressor induced under low-iron conditions and is essential for iron-responsive transcriptional regulation and virulence

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that exists as normal flora in healthy human bodies but causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. In addition to innate and adaptive immunities, hosts also resist microbial infections by developing a mechanism of "natural resistance" that maintains a low level of free iron to restrict the growth of invading pathogens. C. albicans must overcome this iron-deprived environment to cause infections. There are three types of iron-responsive transcriptional regulators in fungi; Aft1/Aft2 activators in yeast, GATA-type repressors in many fungi, and HapX/Php4 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Aspergillus species. In this study, we characterized the iron-responsive regulator Hap43, which is the C. albicans homolog of HapX/Php4 and is repressed by the GATA-type repressor Sfu1 under iron-sufficient conditions. We provide evidence that Hap43 is essential for the growth of C. albicans under low-iron conditions and for C. albicans virulence in a mouse model of infection. Hap43 was not required for iron acquisition under low-iron conditions. Instead, it was responsible for repression of genes that encode iron-dependent proteins involved in mitochondrial respiration and iron-sulfur cluster assembly. We also demonstrated that Hap43 executes its function by becoming a transcriptional repressor and accumulating in the nucleus in response to iron deprivation. Finally, we found a connection between Hap43 and the global corepressor Tup1 in low-iron-induced flavinogenesis. Taken together, our data suggest a complex interplay among Hap43, Sfu1, and Tup1 to coordinately regulate iron acquisition, iron utilization, and other iron-responsive metabolic activities.

HapX positively and negatively regulates the transcriptional response to iron deprivation in Cryptococcus neoformans

The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a major cause of illness in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. The ability of the fungus to acquire nutrients during proliferation in host tissue and the ability to elaborate a polysaccharide capsule are critical determinants of disease outcome. We previously showed that the GATA factor, Cir1, is a major regulator both of the iron uptake functions needed for growth in host tissue and the key virulence factors such as capsule, melanin and growth at 37°C. We are interested in further defining the mechanisms of iron acquisition from inorganic and host-derived iron sources with the goal of understanding the nutritional adaptation of C. neoformans to the host environment. In this study, we investigated the roles of the HAP3 and HAPX genes in iron utilization and virulence. As in other fungi, the C. neoformans Hap proteins negatively influence the expression of genes encoding respiratory and TCA cycle functions under low-iron conditions. However, we also found that HapX plays both positive and negative roles in the regulation of gene expression, including a positive regulatory role in siderophore transporter expression. In addition, HapX also positively regulated the expression of the CIR1 transcript. This situation is in contrast to the negative regulation by HapX of genes encoding GATA iron regulatory factors in Aspergillus nidulans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Although both hapX and hap3 mutants were defective in heme utilization in culture, only HapX made a contribution to virulence, and loss of HapX in a strain lacking the high-affinity iron uptake system did not cause further attenuation of disease. Therefore, HapX appears to have a minimal role during infection of mammalian hosts and instead may be an important regulator of environmental iron uptake functions. Overall, these results indicated that C. neoformans employs multiple strategies for iron acquisition during infection.

Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening central nervous system infections in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients. The competition for iron between pathogens such as C. neoformans and mammalian hosts is a key aspect of disease outcome. We previously identified and characterized the major iron regulatory protein Cir1 in C. neoformans, as well as proteins for the transport of iron-binding molecules (siderophores) and for high-affinity iron uptake. In this study, we examined the roles of additional regulatory proteins (Hap proteins) in the response to low-iron conditions and the use of host iron sources such as heme and transferrin. We discovered that the HapX protein has a conserved regulatory function to repress iron-dependent functions during iron deprivation, as well as a positive regulatory role for the expression of putative siderophore transporters. A hapX mutant was defective in the use of heme as an iron source in culture but was only modestly attenuated for virulence in mice. This result suggests that additional mechanisms for iron uptake must be available to support C. neoformans proliferation in the host, and that HapX may play an important role in environmental iron acquisition.

HapX-mediated adaption to iron starvation is crucial for virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus

Iron is essential for a wide range of cellular processes. Here we show that the bZIP-type regulator HapX is indispensable for the transcriptional remodeling required for adaption to iron starvation in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. HapX represses iron-dependent and mitochondrial-localized activities including respiration, TCA cycle, amino acid metabolism, iron-sulfur-cluster and heme biosynthesis. In agreement with the impact on mitochondrial metabolism, HapX-deficiency decreases resistance to tetracycline and increases mitochondrial DNA content. Pathways positively affected by HapX include production of the ribotoxin AspF1 and siderophores, which are known virulence determinants. Iron starvation causes a massive remodeling of the amino acid pool and HapX is essential for the coordination of the production of siderophores and their precursor ornithine. Consistent with HapX-function being limited to iron depleted conditions and A. fumigatus facing iron starvation in the host, HapX-deficiency causes significant attenuation of virulence in a murine model of aspergillosis. Taken together, this study demonstrates that HapX-dependent adaption to conditions of iron starvation is crucial for virulence of A. fumigatus.

Due to its requirement for a wide range of cellular processes, iron is an essential nutrient for virtually every organism. The mammalian immune system utilizes iron-withholding mechanisms to deny access to free iron. Therefore, pathogens must overcome extreme iron limitation. Patients with suppressed immune systems due to cancer treatments, organ transplantation, or genetic disorders are at high risk of infection with the ubiquitously present fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. In this study we found that in Aspergillus fumigatus iron starvation results in drastic metabolic changes depending on the transcription factor HapX. During iron starvation, HapX functions include the repression of iron-consuming pathways to spare iron and activation of iron uptake by siderophores. Siderophores are small molecules able to “steal” iron from host molecules and have previously been shown to play a crucial role in the virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. Genetic inactivation of HapX attenuates virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus in a murine model of aspergillosis, demonstrating that adaption to iron limitation is a crucial virulence determinant. The identification of numerous HapX-affected genes with a yet uncharacterized link to iron will aid in the further characterization of the metabolic pathways required for fungal adaption to iron starvation and virulence traits.

Identification and Functional Characterization of a Cryptococcus neoformans UPC2 Homolog

Azoles are currently the most widely used class of antifungal drugs clinically, and are effective for treating fungal infections. Target site of azoles is ergosterol biosynthesis in fungal cell membrane, which is absent in the mammalian host. However, the development of resistance to azole treatments in the fungal pathogen has become a significant challenge. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of a UPC2 homolog in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. UPC2 plays roles in ergosterol biosynthesis, which is also affected by the availability of iron in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. C. neoformans mutants lacking UPC2 were constructed, and a number of phenotypic characteristics, including antifungal susceptibility and iron utilization, were analyzed. No differences were found between the mutant phenotypes and wild type, suggesting that the role of C. neoformans UPC2 homolog may be different from those in S. cerevisiae and C. albicans, and that the gene may have a yet unknown function.

The transcription factor Rbf1 is the master regulator for b-mating type controlled pathogenic development in Ustilago maydis

In the phytopathogenic basidiomycete Ustilago maydis, sexual and pathogenic development are tightly connected and controlled by the heterodimeric bE/bW transcription factor complex encoded by the b-mating type locus. The formation of the active bE/bW heterodimer leads to the formation of filaments, induces a G2 cell cycle arrest, and triggers pathogenicity. Here, we identify a set of 345 bE/bW responsive genes which show altered expression during these developmental changes; several of these genes are associated with cell cycle coordination, morphogenesis and pathogenicity. 90% of the genes that show altered expression upon bE/bW-activation require the zinc finger transcription factor Rbf1, one of the few factors directly regulated by the bE/bW heterodimer. Rbf1 is a novel master regulator in a multilayered network of transcription factors that facilitates the complex regulatory traits of sexual and pathogenic development.

SREB, a GATA transcription factor that directs disparate fates in Blastomyces dermatitidis including morphogenesis and siderophore biosynthesis

Blastomyces dermatitidis belongs to a group of human pathogenic fungi that exhibit thermal dimorphism. At 22 degrees C, these fungi grow as mold that produce conidia or infectious particles, whereas at 37 degrees C they convert to budding yeast. The ability to switch between these forms is essential for virulence in mammals and may enable these organisms to survive in the soil. To identify genes that regulate this phase transition, we used Agrobacterium tumefaciens to mutagenize B. dermatitidis conidia and screened transformants for defects in morphogenesis. We found that the GATA transcription factor SREB governs multiple fates in B. dermatitidis: phase transition from yeast to mold, cell growth at 22 degrees C, and biosynthesis of siderophores under iron-replete conditions. Insertional and null mutants fail to convert to mold, do not accumulate significant biomass at 22 degrees C, and are unable to suppress siderophore biosynthesis under iron-replete conditions. The defect in morphogenesis in the SREB mutant was independent of exogenous iron concentration, suggesting that SREB promotes the phase transition by altering the expression of genes that are unrelated to siderophore biosynthesis. Using bioinformatic and gene expression analyses, we identified candidate genes with upstream GATA sites whose expression is altered in the null mutant that may be direct or indirect targets of SREB and promote the phase transition. We conclude that SREB functions as a transcription factor that promotes morphogenesis and regulates siderophore biosynthesis. To our knowledge, this is the first gene identified that promotes the conversion from yeast to mold in the dimorphic fungi, and may shed light on environmental persistence of these pathogens.

Interaction of Cryptococcus neoformans Rim101 and protein kinase A regulates capsule

Cryptococcus neoformans is a prevalent human fungal pathogen that must survive within various tissues in order to establish a human infection. We have identified the C. neoformans Rim101 transcription factor, a highly conserved pH-response regulator in many fungal species. The rim101Δ mutant strain displays growth defects similar to other fungal species in the presence of alkaline pH, increased salt concentrations, and iron limitation. However, the rim101Δ strain is also characterized by a striking defect in capsule, an important virulence-associated phenotype. This capsular defect is likely due to alterations in polysaccharide attachment to the cell surface, not in polysaccharide biosynthesis. In contrast to many other C. neoformans capsule-defective strains, the rim101Δ mutant is hypervirulent in animal models of cryptococcosis. Whereas Rim101 activation in other fungal species occurs through the conserved Rim pathway, we demonstrate that C. neoformans Rim101 is also activated by the cAMP/PKA pathway. We report here that C. neoformans uses PKA and the Rim pathway to regulate the localization, activation, and processing of the Rim101 transcription factor. We also demonstrate specific host-relevant activating conditions for Rim101 cleavage, showing that C. neoformans has co-opted conserved signaling pathways to respond to the specific niche within the infected host. These results establish a novel mechanism for Rim101 activation and the integration of two conserved signaling cascades in response to host environmental conditions.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an environmental fungus and an opportunistic human pathogen. Survival of this fungus within a human host depends on its ability to sense the host environment and respond with protective cellular changes. It is known that the cAMP/PKA signal transduction cascade is important for sensing host-specific environments and regulating the cellular adaptations, such as capsule and increased iron uptake, that are necessary for growth inside the infected host. Here we document that, unlike what has been described in other fungal species, a C. neoformans Rim101 homologue is directly regulated by PKA. The Rim101 signaling pathway is also involved in capsule regulation and virulence. Our study demonstrates that Rim101 integrates two conserved signal transduction cascades, and it is important in regulating microbial pathogenesis.

The role of DNA microarrays in Toxoplasma gondii research, the causative agent of ocular toxoplasmosis

Ocular toxoplasmosis, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is the leading cause of retinochoroiditis. Toxoplasma is an obligate intracellular pathogen that replicates within a parasitophorous vacuole. Infections are initiated by digestion of parasites deposited in cat feces or in undercooked meat. Parasites then disseminate to target tissues that include the retina where they then develop into long-lived asymptomatic tissue cysts. Occasionally, cysts reactivate and growth of newly emerged parasites must be controlled by the host’s immune system or disease will occur. The mechanisms by which Toxoplasma grows within its host cell, encysts, and interacts with the host’s immune system are important questions. Here, we will discuss how the use of DNA microarrays in transcriptional profiling, genotyping, and epigenetic experiments has impacted our understanding of these processes. Finally, we will discuss how these advances relate to ocular toxoplasmosis and how future research on ocular toxoplasmosis can benefit from DNA microarrays.

abc3+ encodes an iron-regulated vacuolar ABC-type transporter in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Studies have shown the fundamental contribution of the yeast vacuole as a site for storage and detoxification of metals. Whereas the transmembrane proteins responsible for iron transport into and out of the vacuole have been identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, less information is available concerning the mobilization of vacuolar iron stores in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In this study, we report the identification of a gene designated abc3(+) that encodes a protein which exhibits sequence homology with the ABCC subfamily of ATP-binding cassette transporters. The transcription of abc3(+) is induced by low concentrations of iron but repressed by high levels of iron. The iron-mediated repression of abc3(+) required a functional fep1(+) gene. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that Fep1 associates with the abc3(+) promoter in vivo, in an iron-dependent manner. Microscopic analyses revealed that a functional Abc3-green fluorescent protein localizes to the membrane vacuole when iron levels were low. Abc3 was required for growth in low-iron medium in the absence of the transport system mediated by Fio1 and Fip1. abc3Delta cells exhibited increased levels of expression of the frp1(+)-encoded ferric reductase, suggesting a loss of Fep1 repression and, consequently, the activation of Fep1-regulated genes. When abc3(+) was expressed using the nmt1(+) promoter system, its induction led to a reduced transcriptional activity of the frp1(+) gene. Because S. pombe does not possess vacuolar membrane-localized orthologs to S. cerevisiae Fth1, Fet5, and Smf3, our findings suggested that Abc3 may be responsible for mobilizing stored iron from the vacuole to the cytosol in response to iron deficiency.

Multicopper oxidases: a workshop on copper coordination chemistry, electron transfer, and metallophysiology

Multicopper oxidases (MCOs) are unique among copper proteins in that they contain at least one each of the three types of biologic copper sites, type 1, type 2, and the binuclear type 3. MCOs are descended from the family of small blue copper proteins (cupredoxins) that likely arose as a complement to the heme-iron-based cytochromes involved in electron transport; this event corresponded to the aerobiosis of the biosphere that resulted in the conversion of Fe(II) to Fe(III) as the predominant redox state of this essential metal and the solubilization of copper from Cu(2)S to Cu(H(2)O)( n ) (2+). MCOs are encoded in genomes in all three kingdoms and play essential roles in the physiology of essentially all aerobes. With four redox-active copper centers, MCOs share with terminal copper-heme oxidases the ability to catalyze the four-electron reduction of O(2) to two molecules of water. The electron transfers associated with this reaction are both outer and inner sphere in nature and their mechanisms have been fairly well established. A subset of MCO proteins exhibit specificity for Fe(2+), Cu(+), and/or Mn(2+) as reducing substrates and have been designated as metallooxidases. These enzymes, in particular the ferroxidases found in all fungi and metazoans, play critical roles in the metal metabolism of the expressing organism.

Regulatory diversity of TUP1 in Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A strains, the major cause of cryptococcosis, are distributed worldwide, while serotype D strains are more concentrated in Central Europe. We have previously shown that deletion of the global regulator TUP1 in serotype D isolates results in a novel peptide-mediated, density-dependent growth phenotype that mimics quorum sensing and is not known to exist in other fungi. Unlike for tup1Delta strains of serotype D, the density-dependent growth phenotype was found to be absent in tup1Delta strains of serotype A which had been derived from several different genetic clusters. The serotype A H99 tup1Delta strain showed less retardation in the growth rate than tup1Delta strains of serotype D, but the mating efficiency was found to be similar in both serotypes. Deletion of TUP1 in the H99 strain resulted in significantly enhanced capsule production and defective melanin formation and also revealed a unique regulatory role of the TUP1 gene in maintaining iron/copper homeostasis. Differential expression of various genes involved in capsule formation and iron/copper homeostasis was observed between the wild-type and tup1Delta H99 strains. Furthermore, the H99 tup1Delta strain displayed pleiotropic effects which included sensitivity to sodium dodecyl sulfate, susceptibility to fluconazole, and attenuated virulence. These results demonstrate that the global regulator TUP1 has pathobiological significance and plays both conserved and distinct roles in serotype A and D strains of C. neoformans.

Role of ferroxidases in iron uptake and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

Iron acquisition is a critical aspect of the virulence of many pathogenic microbes, and iron limitation is an important defense mechanism for mammalian hosts. We are examining mechanisms of iron regulation and acquisition in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, and here, we characterize the roles of the ferroxidases Cfo1 and Cfo2. Cfo1 is required for the reductive iron uptake system that mediates the utilization of transferrin, an important iron source for C. neoformans during infection. The virulence of a cfo1 mutant was attenuated in a mouse model of cryptococcosis, and the mutant also displayed increased sensitivities to the antifungal drugs fluconazole and amphotericin B. Wild-type levels of drug sensitivity were restored by the addition of exogenous heme, which suggested that reduced levels of intracellular iron may curtail heme levels and interfere with ergosterol biosynthesis. We constructed green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins and found elevated expression of Cfo1-GFP upon iron limitation, as well as localization of the fusion to the plasma membrane. Trafficking to this location was disrupted by a defect in the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. This result is consistent with findings from studies indicating an influence of the kinase on the expression of protein-trafficking functions in C. neoformans.