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The Evolution of Sexual Reproduction and the Mating-Type Locus: Links to Pathogenesis of Cryptococcus Human

Sheng Sun1, Marco A Coelho1, Márcia David-Palma1

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA;

Annual Review of Genetics
|September 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Cryptococcus fungi use diverse sexual reproduction methods, including bisexual and unisexual cycles, to adapt to various environments and cause disease. Their mating-type (MAT) loci have evolved significantly, impacting fungal evolution and pathogenesis.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cryptococcus species exhibit diverse sexual reproduction mechanisms, crucial for genetic diversity and adaptation.
  • Sexual cycles in pathogenic Cryptococcus are triggered by environmental cues and involve specific signaling pathways.
  • Mating-type (MAT) loci are key genetic elements influencing Cryptococcus pathogenesis and evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of sexual reproduction and MAT loci evolution in Cryptococcus.
  • To understand how MAT locus evolution contributes to the adaptation and pathogenicity of Cryptococcus species.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of sexual reproduction mechanisms in Cryptococcus.
  • Investigation of signaling pathways and morphological changes during Cryptococcus mating.
  • Comparative genomics and evolutionary analysis of MAT loci across Cryptococcus species.

Main Results:

  • Cryptococcus utilizes both bisexual and unisexual reproductive cycles.
  • MAT loci evolution shows a transition from tetrapolar to bipolar systems in pathogenic species.
  • MAT locus reconfigurations correlate with lineage divergence and pathogenic potential.

Conclusions:

  • Sexual reproduction and MAT locus evolution are central to Cryptococcus adaptation and pathogenicity.
  • Cryptococcus provides a model system for studying the evolution of sexual reproduction.
  • Understanding these processes offers insights into fungal evolution and disease emergence.
Keywords:
MAT locuseukaryotic microbial evolutionfungal pathogenesismating typemedical mycologysexual reproduction

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