Emerging themes in cryptococcal capsule synthesis
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Updated: May 29, 2026

Automated Measurement of Cryptococcal Species Polysaccharide Capsule and Cell Body
Published on: January 11, 2018
Pardeep Kumar1, Meng Yang, Brian C Haynes
1Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Abstract:
Cryptococcus neoformans, a basidiomycete yeast and opportunistic pathogen, expends significant biosynthetic effort on construction of a polysaccharide capsule with a radius that may be many times that of the cell. Beyond posing a stimulating challenge in terms of defining biosynthetic pathways, the capsule is required for this yeast to cause fatal disease. This combination has focused the attention of researchers on this system. Here we briefly review two aspects of the rapidly advancing field of capsule synthesis: the extensive variation that occurs in capsule polymers and the regulation of capsule biosynthesis.
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