Melanin Remodeling in Budding of Cryptococcus neoformans

描述（由申请方提供）：新型隐球菌是一种致病真菌，是免疫系统受损患者中危及生命的脑膜炎的相对常见原因。此外，C. neoformans是研究发病机制和宿主-病原体相互作用的模式生物。C.在适当的底物存在下，新形虫产生黑色素，并且这种色素的表达与毒力有关。对C.由于难以通过经典的生物化学技术对其进行研究，因此尚不清楚新形式。黑色素是不溶性的，黑色素的确切化学结构尚未确定。一个基本的问题是细胞如何分解或重塑黑色素以允许生长和萌芽发生？黑色素降解酶尚未在任何生物体中被鉴定，但鉴于色素在所有生物王国中都被发现，黑色素降解酶肯定存在。用遗传学方法研究C.新提出。此外，黑色素重塑对C。将研究新形式病毒的毒力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic fungus that is a relatively frequent cause of life-threatening meningitis in patients with impaired immune systems. In addition, C. neoformans is a model organism for the study of pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions. C. neoformans produces melanin in the presence of appropriate substrate and expression of this pigment is associated with virulence. Several basic aspects of melanin biology in C. neoformans are unknown due to the difficulty is studying it by classical biochemical techniques. Melanin is insoluble and the exact chemical structure of melanin has not been determined. A fundamental question is how do cells break down, or remodel, melanin to allow growth and budding to occur? Melanin degrading enzymes have yet to be identified in any organism but must exist given that the pigment is found in all biological kingdoms. A genetic approach to study melanin remodeling in C. neoformans is proposed. In addition, the importance of melanin remodeling to C. neoformans virulence will be studied.