Genetic basis for coordination of meiosis and sexual structure maturation in Cryptococcus neoformans
Linxia Liu,
Guang-Jun He,
Lei Chen,
Jiao Zheng,
Yingying Chen,
Lan Shen,
Xiuyun Tian,
Erwei Li,
Ence Yang,
Guojian Liao,
Linqi Wang
Affiliations
Linxia Liu
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Guang-Jun He
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Lei Chen
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Jiao Zheng
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
Yingying Chen
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Lan Shen
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Xiuyun Tian
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Erwei Li
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Ence Yang
Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
Guojian Liao
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
In the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, sex can benefit its pathogenicity through production of meiospores, which are believed to offer both physical and meiosis-created lineage advantages for its infections. Cryptococcus sporulation occurs following two parallel events, meiosis and differentiation of the basidium, the characteristic sexual structure of the basidiomycetes. However, the circuit integrating these events to ensure subsequent sporulation is unclear. Here, we show the spatiotemporal coordination of meiosis and basidial maturation by visualizing event-specific molecules in developing basidia defined by a quantitative approach. Monitoring of gene induction timing together with genetic analysis reveals co-regulation of the coordinated events by a shared regulatory program. Two RRM family regulators, Csa1 and Csa2, are crucial components that bridge meiosis and basidial maturation, further determining sporulation. We propose that the regulatory coordination of meiosis and basidial development serves as a determinant underlying the production of infectious meiospores in C. neoformans.
