The Glycerol Phosphatase Gpp2: A Link to Osmotic Stress, Sulfur Assimilation and Virulence in .

is an opportunist fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. During infection, this basidiomycete yeast has to adapt to several adverse conditions, especially nutrient availability. The interruption on various amino acid biosynthetic pathways and on amino acid uptake causes reduced viability, inability to cope with various stresses, failure in virulence factors expression and avirulence in animal model of infection.

The regulation of the sulfur amino acid biosynthetic pathway in Cryptococcus neoformans: the relationship of Cys3, Calcineurin, and Gpp2 phosphatases.

Cryptococcosis is a fungal disease caused by C. neoformans. To adapt and survive in diverse ecological niches, including the animal host, this opportunistic pathogen relies on its ability to uptake nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen, iron, phosphate, sulfur, and amino acids.

Amino acid permeases in Cryptococcus neoformans are required for high temperature growth and virulence; and are regulated by Ras signaling.

Cryptococcosis is an Invasive Fungal Infection (IFI) caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, mainly in immunocompromised patients. Therapeutic failure due to pathogen drug resistance, treatment inconstancy and few antifungal options is a problem. The study of amino acid biosynthesis and uptake represents an opportunity to explore possible development of novel antifungals.

Amino Acid Permeases and Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Fungal opportunistic pathogens colonize various environments, from plants and wood to human and animal tissue. Regarding human pathogens, one great challenge during contrasting niche occupation is the adaptation to different conditions, such as temperature, osmolarity, salinity, pressure, oxidative stress and nutritional availability, which may constitute sources of stress that need to be tolerated and overcome. As an opportunistic pathogen, C.

The Role of Amino Acid Permeases and Tryptophan Biosynthesis in Cryptococcus neoformans Survival.

Metabolic diversity is an important factor during microbial adaptation to different environments. Among metabolic processes, amino acid biosynthesis has been demonstrated to be relevant for survival for many microbial pathogens, whereas the association between pathogenesis and amino acid uptake and recycling are less well-established. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with many habitats.