title: Identification of a Zds-like gene ZDS3 as a new mediator of stress resistance, capsule formation and virulence of the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: The fungal Zds proteins are regulators of the serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and the protein kinase A. Here, we characterize a Zds-like gene ZDS3 that plays a broad range of roles in the basidiomycetous pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. ZDS3 harbors the conserved activation domain ZDS_C of Zds proteins. By gene disruption, ZDS3 is shown to play roles in capsule production, cell wall integrity, growth at a high temperature, resistance to H(2)O(2) stress, osmotic pressures and glucose-dependent invasive growth on the agar. As a consequence, the disruption of ZDS3 resulted in complete loss of virulence in a mouse cryptococcosis model. The data suggest that ZDS3 is a novel mediator of the virulence of C. neoformans. Zds3 may serve as an antifungal drug target as no homologs are found in mammals.
authors: State Key Program of Microbiology and Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
authors: Zhongming
authors: Z
authors: Li
authors: Zhixiong
authors: Z
authors: Sun
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: Jiao
authors: J
authors: Pan
authors: Xudong
authors: X
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013696:Temperature; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D011134:Polysaccharides; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D005947:Glucose