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Updated: May 6, 2026

Biolistic Transformation of a Fluorescent Tagged Gene into the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
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Is Cryptococcus neoformans a pleomorphic fungus?

Jessica Cs Brown1, Elizabeth R Ballou2

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.

Current Opinion in Microbiology
|September 11, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cryptococcus neoformans exhibits distinct cell forms, including seed and titan cells, which are transcriptionally unique and heritable. These findings support classifying this human fungal pathogen as a pleomorphic fungus.

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Size Matters: Measurement of Capsule Diameter in Cryptococcus neoformans
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Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Medical Mycology
  • Fungal Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen classically known as a budding yeast.
  • Recent studies have identified novel single-cell morphologies relevant to infection in vivo and in vitro.
  • The classification of these morphologies as true morphotypes is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if newly discovered C. neoformans cell morphologies represent true morphotypes.
  • To evaluate C. neoformans for characteristics of pleomorphism, a trait seen in other fungi.
  • To provide a framework for classifying fungal single-cell morphologies.

Main Methods:

  • Profiling of C. neoformans seed cells and titan cells.
  • Transcriptional analysis of different C. neoformans cell forms.
  • Assessment of morphology stability and heritability.
  • Evaluation of growth characteristics associated with distinct morphologies.

Main Results:

  • Multiple C. neoformans single-cell morphologies are transcriptionally distinct.
  • These morphologies are stable and heritable across generations.
  • The identified morphotypes are associated with active fungal growth.
  • A framework was established for classifying fungal morphotypes.

Conclusions:

  • C. neoformans exhibits true morphotypes, supporting its classification as a pleomorphic fungus.
  • The capacity for morphotype switching is a key factor in C. neoformans pathogenesis.
  • Updated classification reflects the complex biology of this important fungal pathogen.