The Role of Ceramide Synthases in the Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

oleh: Mansa A. Munshi, Justin M. Gardin, Ashutosh Singh, Chiara Luberto, Robert Rieger, Tejas Bouklas, Bettina C. Fries, Maurizio Del Poeta

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Elsevier 2018-02-01

Deskripsi

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.