Regulation of capsule biosynthesis in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

我们试图了解人类的真菌病原体如何适应体内的条件。这些知识可以确定诊断和治疗这些重要感染的其他方法。我们体内的二氧化碳浓度比我们周围的空气高150倍。当人类的真菌病原体感觉到宿主体内较高的CO2时，它们会启动一系列发育变化，从而使其感染宿主。之前，我们确定了负责这些变化的CO2传感器。现在我们想精确地研究这种酶是如何感知二氧化碳的。CO2对真菌病原体的生存具有重要的其他功能。例如，它是基本细胞代谢的基本部分。我们还建议研究CO2敏感酶是否与真菌代谢有关。

We are trying to understand how fungal pathogens of humans adapt to conditions inside the body. This knowledge may identify additional ways to diagnose and treat these important infections. The concentration of carbon dioxide is 150 fold higher inside our body than in the air surrounding us. When fungal pathogens of humans sense the higher CO2 inside the host, they initiate a series of development changes, which permits it to infect that host. Previously we identified the CO2 sensor responsible for these changes. Now we want to investigate precisely how this enzyme senses CO2. CO2 serves other functions important for the survival of fungal pathogens. For example it is a fundamental part of basic cellular metabolism. We also propose to study whether the CO2 sensing enzyme is related to fungal metabolism.