A copper-responsive factor gene CUF1 is required for copper induction of laccase in Cryptococcus neoformans.
The multicopper laccase is a major virulence factor in Cryptococcus neoformans. Its expression regulation is complex. We presented molecular evidence to show that laccase expression was induced by high concentrations of exogenous copper. Melanin production and laccase enzymatic activity increased dramatically in response to the addition of copper to the media. Reverse transcription-PCR amplification of the laccase gene LAC1 mRNA revealed that the induction occurred at the transcriptional level, which required the copper-responsive factor-encoding gene CUF1. Disruption of CUF1 demolished the activation of LAC1 transcription by copper, whereas the reconstituted strain restored the phenotypic defects. Furthermore, copper induction was shown to be independent of derepression by glucose starvation, a well-established activation factor for laccase expression. These results demonstrate a role of the copper-responsive factor gene CUF1 in the expression of laccase in C. neoformans.
Jiang
Nan
N
State Key Program of Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
Sun
Naiyu
N
Xiao
Dongguang
D
Pan
Jiao
J
Wang
Yajie
Y
Zhu
Xudong
X
D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D042845:Laccase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008543:Melanins; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D003300:Copper; D042845:Laccase