A5051546694- Fungal Infections and Studies
- Antifungal resistance and susceptibility
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Toxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- Nail Diseases and Treatments
- Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
- Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens
- Yeasts and Rust Fungi Studies
- Fungal Biology and Applications
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- DNA Repair Mechanisms
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Infectious Diseases and Mycology
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Gut microbiota and health
- Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Sphingolipid Metabolism and Signaling
- Signaling Pathways in Disease
- Plant Toxicity and Pharmacological Properties
Yonsei University
2016-2025
Korea Institute of Science and Technology
2023
The Ohio State University
2001-2007
Soongsil University
2006-2007
Duke University
2003-2006
Duke University Hospital
2003-2006
Duke Medical Center
2003-2006
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
2005
Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast responsible for more than 600,000 deaths each year. It occurs as two serotypes (A and D) representing varieties (i.e. grubii neoformans, respectively). Here, we sequenced the genome performed an RNA-Seq-based analysis of C. var. transcriptome structure. We determined chromosomal locations, analyzed sequence/structural features centromeres, identified origins replication. The was annotated based on automated manual curation. More...
The human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans has diverged from a common ancestor into three biologically distinct varieties or sibling species over the past 10–40 million years. During evolution of these divergent forms, serotype A C. var. grubii emerged as most virulent and cosmopolitan clade. Therefore, understanding how is distinguished less successful serotypes will provide insights fungal virulence. Here we report that structurally conserved Pbs2-Hog1 MAP kinase cascade been...
The stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is widely used by eukaryotic organisms as a central conduit via which cellular responses to the environment effect growth and differentiation. basidiomycetous human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans uniquely uses Pbs2-Hog1 MAPK system govern plethora of events, including stress responses, drug sensitivity, sexual reproduction, virulence. Here, we characterized "two-component" that controls these fundamental functions...
Abstract Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans, but its overall biological and pathogenic regulatory circuits remain elusive, particularly due to the presence of an evolutionarily divergent set transcription factors (TFs). Here, we report construction a high-quality library 322 signature-tagged gene-deletion strains for 155 putative TF genes previously predicted using DNA-binding domain database, examine their vitro vivo phenotypic traits under 32...
Cryptococcus neoformans is the leading cause of death by fungal meningoencephalitis; however, treatment options remain limited. Here we report construction 264 signature-tagged gene-deletion strains for 129 putative kinases, and examine their phenotypic traits under 30 distinct in vitro growth conditions two different hosts (insect larvae mice). Clustering analysis indicates that several these kinases have roles known signalling pathways, identifies hitherto uncharacterized cascades....
In eukaryotic cells, the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway plays a crucial role in cellular homeostasis of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during exposure to diverse environmental conditions that cause ER stress. Here we report human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has evolved unique UPR composed an evolutionarily conserved Ire1 kinase and novel bZIP transcription factor encoded by HXL1 (HAC1 XBP1-Like gene 1). C. encodes lacking sequence homology any known or mammalian Hac1/Xbp1...
The titan cell is a recently described morphological form of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Occurring during earliest stages lung infection, cells are 5 to 10 times larger than normal yeast-like cells, thereby resisting engulfment by phagocytes and favoring persistence infection. These enlarged exhibit an altered capsule structure, thickened wall, increased ploidy, resistance nitrosative oxidative stresses. We demonstrate that two G-protein-coupled receptors important for...
Melanin is an antioxidant polyphenol pigment required for the pathogenicity of many fungal pathogens, but comprehensive regulatory mechanisms remain unidentified. In this study, we systematically analyzed melanin-regulating signaling pathways in Cryptococcus neoformans and identified four core transcription factors (TFs), Bzp4, Usv101, Mbs1, Hob1, induction laccase gene (LAC1). Mbs1 independently regulate LAC1 induction, whereas Hob1 controls Bzp4 Usv101 expression. Both are localized...
Candida auris , an emerging fungal pathogen characterized by its multidrug resistance and high mortality rates, poses a significant public health challenge. Despite importance, the signaling pathways governing virulence antifungal in C. remain poorly understood. This study investigates calcineurin pathway critical for other pathogens. Calcineurin, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, comprises catalytic subunit (Cna1) regulatory (Cnb1) . Our findings reveal that deletion of CNA1...
The Galpha protein Gpa1 governs the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway and plays a central role in virulence differentiation human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, but signals receptors that trigger this were unknown. We identified seven putative proteins share identity with known G protein-coupled (GPCRs). One protein, Gpr4, shares limited sequence Dictyostelium discoideum cAMP receptor cAR1 Aspergillus nidulans GPCR GprH also structural similarity Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gpr1. gpr4...
ABSTRACT In response to a wide variety of environmental stimuli, the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans exits budding cycle, producing germ tubes and hyphae concomitant with expression virulence genes, such as that encoding hyphal wall protein 1 ( HWP1 ). Biochemical studies implicate cyclic AMP (cAMP) increases in promoting bud-hypha transitions, but genetic evidence relating genes control cAMP levels transitions has not been reported. Adenylate cyclase-associated proteins...
ABSTRACT The ability to sense and adapt a hostile host environment is crucial element for virulence of pathogenic fungi, including Cryptococcus neoformans . These cellular responses are evoked by diverse signaling cascades, the stress-activated HOG pathway. Despite previous analysis central components pathway, its downstream network poorly characterized in C. Here we performed comparative transcriptome with mutants explore stress-regulated genes their correlation pathway In this study, not...
Fludioxonil is employed as an agricultural fungicide to control plant-pathogenic fungi such Botrytis cinerea . Cryptococcus neoformans a basidiomycetous human fungal pathogen that causes fatal disease in immunocompromised hosts. This paper demonstrates three different signalling cascades regulate sensitivity of C. fludioxonil. inhibited growth the serotype A sequence reference strain H99 but not sequenced D JEC21. In drug-sensitive wild-type strain, fludioxonil exposure activated Hog1...
There is an urgent need to identify new treatments for fungal infections. By combining sub-lethal concentrations of the known antifungals fluconazole, caspofungin, amphotericin B, terbinafine, benomyl, and cyprodinil with ∼3,600 compounds in diverse species, we generated a deep reservoir chemical-chemical interactions termed Antifungal Combinations Matrix (ACM). Follow-up susceptibility testing against fluconazole-resistant isolate C. albicans unveiled ACM combinations capable potentiating...