Work

Cryptococcus neoformans Mating and Genetic Crosses

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: The Cryptococcus pathogenic species complex is a group of opportunistic human fungal pathogens that cause cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, an infection associated with unacceptably high mortality rates. The public health relevance of these pathogens has galvanized extensive research over the past several decades and led to characterization of their sexual cycles. This research has allowed several Cryptococcus species to develop into model fungal organisms for both pathogenesis and basic science studies. Many of these studies require observation of the meiotic process and its associated mating structures as well as generation of meiotic progeny with novel phenotypes and genotypes. Herein, we describe how to set up genetic crosses between Cryptococcus strains and observe their mating phenotypes as well as how to recover progeny from these crosses for further analysis. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Source: Current Protocols in Microbiology

DOI: 10.1002/cpmc.75

Authors: Sheng Sun, Shelby J. Priest, Joseph Heitman

Institution: Duke Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Fungal Infections and Studies

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases