Metabolomic alterations associated with copper stress in Cryptococcus neoformans

Background: Copper stress is an effective host strategy in resisting the opportunistic pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. We studied metabolic changes in C. neoformans under copper stress. Materials & methods: Wild-type and metallothionein-null C. neoformans were treated with copper on agar containing glucose, glycerol or ethanol as the carbon source and their metabolites were analyzed by untarget metabolomics strategy using gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Results: The metabolic profile of C. neoformans varied in the presence and absence of copper. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differentially abundant metabolites were related to amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. C. neoformans grown on glycerol or ethanol resisted copper toxicity better than C. neoformans grown on glucose. Conclusion: Copper stress alters the metabolic profile of C. neoformans.