title: Unlocking the DEAD-box: a key to cryptococcal virulence?
abstract: The DEAD-box RNA helicases are enzymes involved in many critical aspects of RNA metabolism within both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. Several studies have shown that these proteins may have important functions in mediating microbial pathogenesis. A new study in this issue of the JCI identifies the first DEAD-box RNA helicase in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans and proposes novel roles for this family of proteins in the development and progression of cryptococcosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Lena J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Heung
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Poeta
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000378:metabolism; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D020365:RNA Helicases