The Role of Ceramide Synthases in the Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans
Mansa A. Munshi,
Justin M. Gardin,
Ashutosh Singh,
Chiara Luberto,
Robert Rieger,
Tejas Bouklas,
Bettina C. Fries,
Maurizio Del Poeta
Affiliations
Mansa A. Munshi
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
Justin M. Gardin
The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
Ashutosh Singh
Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226007, India
Chiara Luberto
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
Robert Rieger
Proteomics Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
Tejas Bouklas
Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions and Nursing, Long Island University, Brookville, NY 11548, USA
Bettina C. Fries
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
Maurizio Del Poeta
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, NY 11768, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans) is estimated to cause about 220,000 new cases every year in patients with AIDS, despite advances in antifungal treatments. C. neoformans possesses a remarkable ability to disseminate through an immunocompromised host, making treatment difficult. Here, we examine the mechanism of survival of C. neoformans under varying host conditions and find a role for ceramide synthase in C. neoformans virulence. This study also provides a detailed lipidomics resource for the fungal lipid research community in addition to discovering a potential target for antifungal therapy.
