title: Iron influences the abundance of the iron regulatory protein Cir1 in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: The GATA-type, zinc-finger protein Cir1 regulates iron uptake, iron homeostasis and virulence factor expression in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. The mechanisms by which Cir1 senses iron availability, although as yet undefined, are important for understanding the proliferation of the fungus in mammalian hosts. We investigated the influence of iron availability on Cir1 and found that the abundance of the protein decreases upon iron deprivation. This destabilization was influenced by reducing conditions and by inhibition of proteasome function. The combined data suggest a post-translational mechanism for the control of Cir1 abundance in response to iron and redox status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kronstad
mesh_terms: D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055550:Protein Stability; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins; D007501:Iron; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex