title: UDP-glucose dehydrogenase plays multiple roles in the biology of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic fungus surrounded by an elaborate polysaccharide capsule that is strictly required for its virulence in humans and other mammals. Nearly half of the sugar residues in the capsule are derived from UDP-glucuronic acid or its metabolites. To examine the role of these nucleotide sugars in C. neoformans, the gene encoding UDP-glucose dehydrogenase was disrupted. Mass spectrometry analysis of nucleotide sugar pools showed that the resulting mutant lacked both UDP-glucuronic acid and its downstream product, UDP-xylose, thus confirming the effect of the knockout and indicating that an alternate pathway for UDP-glucuronic acid production was not used. The mutant was dramatically affected by the lack of specific sugar donors, demonstrating altered cell integrity, temperature sensitivity, lack of growth in an animal model of cryptococcosis, and morphological defects. Additionally, the polysaccharide capsule could not be detected on the mutant cells, although the possibility remains that abbreviated forms of capsule components are made, possibly without proper surface display. The capsule defect is largely independent of the other observed changes, as cells that are acapsular because of mutations in other genes show lack of virulence but do not exhibit alterations in cell integrity, temperature sensitivity, or cellular morphology. All of the observed alterations were reversed by correction of the gene disruption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Cara L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: J Stacey
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Klutts
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Levery
authors.forename: Tamara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Doering
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D015151:Immunoblotting; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D013696:Temperature; D014533:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D014540:Uridine Diphosphate Xylose / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004396:Coloring Agents; D009711:Nucleotides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014540:Uridine Diphosphate Xylose; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D004247:DNA; D014533:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose Dehydrogenase