Beyond the big three: systematic analysis of virulence factors in Cryptococcus neoformans.
The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has three major virulence factors: growth at 37 degrees C, capsule synthesis, and melanin formation. Recently in Cell, Liu et al. (2008) employed signature tagged mutagenesis to systematically identify virulence genes. Remarkably, mutations in many of these genes did not influence the major virulence traits.
Michael Smith Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
James
J
Kronstad
Won Hee
WH
Jung
Guanggan
G
Hu
D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D037521:Virulence Factors