title: Phosphorus-rich structures and capsular architecture in Cryptococcus neoformans.
abstract: In this study, we aimed to analyze the relationship of phosphorus-rich structures with surface architecture in Cryptococcus neoformans.
  
  
  
  Phosphorus-rich structures in C. neoformans were analyzed by combining fluorescence microscopy, biochemical extraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe x-ray microanalysis and 3D reconstruction of high pressure frozen and freeze substituted cells by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).
  
  
  
  Intracellular and surface phosphorus-enriched structures were identified. These molecules were required for capsule assembly, as demonstrated in experiments using polysaccharide incorporation by capsule-deficient cells and mutants with defects in polyphosphate synthesis. The demonstration of intracellular and cell wall-associated polyphosphates in C. neoformans may lead to future studies involving their participation in both physiologic and pathogenic events.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caroline L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabio M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wendell
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Girard-Dias
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kretschmer
authors.affiliation: Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.|Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kronstad
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frases
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wanderley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kildare
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus
keywords: Cryptococcus; capsule; polyphosphate