Sex in broad daylight: turning a new leaf-fungal style.
Cryptococcus spp. are potentially lethal fungal pathogens of humans and animals that are not easily communicable. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Xue et al. describe sexual reproduction of Cryptococcus in association with plants and identify plant-derived mating stimulatory compounds. These results may have wide significance in explaining environmental sources of effective inoculum in human disease foci.
Nadal
Marina
M
Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7274, USA.
Gold
Scott E
SE
D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000382:microbiology; D003454:Cryptococcus / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000517:prevention & control; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000382:microbiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*