scholarly journals Analysis and Manipulation of Aspartate Pathway Genes for l-Lysine Overproduction from Methanol by Bacillus methanolicus

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (17) ◽  
pp. 6020-6026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingemar Nærdal ◽  
Roman Netzer ◽  
Trond E. Ellingsen ◽  
Trygve Brautaset
Keyword(s):  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Feedback Inhibition ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacillus Methanolicus ◽  
Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase ◽  
Aspartate Pathway ◽  
Lysine Overproduction

ABSTRACTWe investigated the regulation and roles of six aspartate pathway genes inl-lysine overproduction inBacillus methanolicus:dapG, encoding aspartokinase I (AKI);lysC, encoding AKII;yclM, encoding AKIII;asd, encoding aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase;dapA, encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase; andlysA, encodingmeso-diaminopimelate decarboxylase. Analysis of the wild-type strain revealed thatin vivo lysCtranscription was repressed 5-fold byl-lysine and induced 2-fold bydl-methionine added to the growth medium. Surprisingly,yclMtranscription was repressed 5-fold bydl-methionine, while thedapG,asd,dapA, andlysAgenes were not significantly repressed by any of the aspartate pathway amino acids. We show that thel-lysine-overproducing classicalB. methanolicusmutant NOA2#13A52-8A66 has—in addition to ahom-1mutation—chromosomal mutations in thedapGcoding region and in thelysApromoter region. No mutations were found in itsdapA,lysC,asd, andyclMgenes. The mutantdapGgene product had abolished feedback inhibition bymeso-diaminopimelatein vitro, and thelysAmutation was accompanied by an elevated (6-fold)lysAtranscription levelin vivo. Moreover,yclMtranscription was increased 16-fold in mutant strain NOA2#13A52-8A66 compared to the wild-type strain. Overexpression of wild-type and mutant aspartate pathway genes demonstrated that all six genes are important forl-lysine overproduction as tested in shake flasks, and the effects were dependent on the genetic background tested. Coupled overexpression of up to three genes resulted in additive (above 80-fold) increasedl-lysine production levels.

scholarly journals In VivoEfficacy of Human Simulated Regimens of Carbapenems and Comparator Agents against NDM-1-Producing Enterobacteriaceae

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 1671-1677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dora E. Wiskirchen ◽  
Patrice Nordmann ◽  
Jared L. Crandon ◽  
David P. Nicolau
Keyword(s):  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Similar Efficacy ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Prolonged Infusion ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTDoripenem and ertapenem have demonstrated efficacy against several NDM-1-producing isolatesin vivo, despite having high MICs. In this study, we sought to further characterize the efficacy profiles of humanized regimens of standard (500 mg given every 8 h) and high-dose, prolonged infusion of doripenem (2 g given every 8 h, 4-h infusion) and 1 g of ertapenem given intravenously every 24 h and the comparator regimens of ceftazidime at 2 g given every 8 h (2-h infusion), levofloxacin at 500 mg every 24 h, and aztreonam at 2 g every 6 h (1-h infusion) against a wider range of isolates in a murine thigh infection model. An isogenic wild-type strain and NDM-1-producingKlebsiella pneumoniaeand eight clinical NDM-1-producing members of the familyEnterobacteriaceaewere tested in immunocompetent- and neutropenic-mouse models. The wild-type strain was susceptible to all of the agents, while the isogenic NDM-1-producing strain was resistant to ceftazidime, doripenem, and ertapenem. Clinical NDM-1-producing strains were resistant to nearly all five of the agents (two were susceptible to levofloxacin). In immunocompetent mice, all of the agents produced ≥1-log10CFU reductions of the isogenic wild-type and NDM-1-producing strains after 24 h. Minimal efficacy of ceftazidime, aztreonam, and levofloxacin against the clinical NDM-1-producing strains was observed. However, despitein vitroresistance, ≥1-log10CFU reductions of six of eight clinical strains were achieved with high-dose, prolonged infusion of doripenem and ertapenem. Slight enhancements of doripenem activity over the standard doses were obtained with high-dose, prolonged infusion for three of the four isolates tested. Similar efficacy observations were noted in neutropenic mice. These data suggest that carbapenems are a viable treatment option for infections caused by NDM-1-producingEnterobacteriaceae.

scholarly journals Genes Involved in Galactooligosaccharide Metabolism in Lactobacillus reuteri and Their Ecological Role in the Gastrointestinal Tract

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monchaya Rattanaprasert ◽  
Jan-Peter van Pijkeren ◽  
Amanda E. Ramer-Tait ◽  
Maria Quintero ◽  
Car Reen Kok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Lactobacillus Reuteri ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Carbohydrate Source ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gnotobiotic Mice

ABSTRACT Strains of Lactobacillus reuteri are commonly used as probiotics due to their demonstrated therapeutic properties. Many strains of L. reuteri also utilize the prebiotic galactooligosaccharide (GOS), providing a basis for formulating synergistic synbiotics that could enhance growth or persistence of this organism in vivo. In this study, in-frame deletion mutants were constructed to characterize the molecular basis of GOS utilization in L. reuteri ATCC PTA-6475. Results suggested that GOS transport relies on a permease encoded by lacS, while a second unidentified protein may function as a galactoside transporter. Two β-galactosidases, encoded by lacA and lacLM, sequentially degrade GOS oligosaccharides and GOS disaccharides, respectively. Inactivation of lacL and lacM resulted in impaired growth in the presence of GOS and lactose. In vitro competition experiments between the wild-type and ΔlacS ΔlacM strains revealed that the GOS-utilizing genes conferred a selective advantage in media with GOS but not glucose. GOS also provided an advantage to the wild-type strain in experiments in gnotobiotic mice but only on a purified, no sucrose diet. Differences in cell numbers between GOS-fed mice and mice that did not receive GOS were small, suggesting that carbohydrates other than GOS were sufficient to support growth. On a complex diet, the ΔlacS ΔlacM strain was outcompeted by the wild-type strain in gnotobiotic mice, suggesting that lacL and lacM are involved in the utilization of alternative dietary carbohydrates. Indeed, the growth of the mutants was impaired in raffinose and stachyose, which are common in plants, demonstrating that α-galactosides may constitute alternate substrates of the GOS pathway. IMPORTANCE This study shows that lac genes in Lactobacillus reuteri encode hydrolases and transporters that are necessary for the metabolism of GOS, as well as α-galactoside substrates. Coculture experiments with the wild-type strain and a gos mutant clearly demonstrated that GOS utilization confers a growth advantage in medium containing GOS as the sole carbohydrate source. However, the wild-type strain also outcompeted the mutant in germfree mice, suggesting that GOS genes in L. reuteri also provide a basis for utilization of other carbohydrates, including α-galactosides, ordinarily present in the diets of humans and other animals. Collectively, our work provides information on the metabolism of L. reuteri in its natural niche in the gut and may provide a basis for the development of synbiotic strategies.

scholarly journals Characterization and Evaluation of a Salmonella enterica Serotype Senftenberg Mutant Created by Deletion of Virulence-Related Genes for Use as a Live Attenuated Vaccine

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 802-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin M. Kamble ◽  
John Hwa Lee
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Protective Efficacy ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intestinal Loop ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Exchange Method ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTNatural infections of chickens withSalmonella entericasubsp.entericaserovar Senftenberg (S.Senftenberg) are characterized by low-level intestinal invasiveness and insignificant production of antibodies. In this study, we investigated the potential effects oflonandcpxRgene deletions on the invasiveness ofS. Senftenberg into the intestinal epithelium of chickens and its ability to induce an immune response, conferring protection againstS. Senftenberg infection. With the allelic exchange method, we developed JOL1596 (Δlon), JOL1571 (ΔcpxR), and JOL1587 (ΔlonΔcpxR) deletion mutants from wild-typeS. Senftenberg. Deletion of thelongene fromS. Senftenberg produced increased frequency of elongated cells, with significantly greater amounts of exopolysaccharide (EPS) than in thecpxR-deleted strain and the wild-type strain. Thein vivointestinal loop invasion assay showed a significant increase in epithelial invasiveness for JOL1596 (Δlon) and JOL1587 (ΔlonΔcpxR), compared to JOL1571 (ΔcpxR) and the wild-type strain. Furthermore, theS. Senftenberg wild-type and mutant strains were internalized at high levels inside activated abdominal macrophages from chicken. Thein vivoinoculation of JOL1587 (ΔlonΔcpxR) into chickens led to colonization of the liver, spleen, and cecum for a short time. Chickens inoculated with JOL1587 (ΔlonΔcpxR) showed significant increases in humoral, mucosal, and cellular immune responses specific toS. Senftenberg antigens. Postchallenge, compared to the control group, the JOL1587 (ΔlonΔcpxR)-inoculated chickens showed not only lower persistence but also faster clearance of wild-typeS. Senftenberg from the cecum. We conclude that the increased intestinal invasiveness and colonization of internal organs exhibited by JOL1587 (ΔlonΔcpxR) led to the establishment of immunogenicity and conferred protective efficacy againstS. Senftenberg infections in chickens.

scholarly journals Impact of the Listeria monocytogenes Protein InlC on Infection in Mice

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 1334-1340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelly Leung ◽  
Antonella Gianfelice ◽  
Scott D. Gray-Owen ◽  
Keith Ireton
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Adaptor Protein ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTThe bacterial pathogenListeria monocytogenescauses serious food-borne illnesses in pregnant women and the immunocompromised.L. monocytogenespromotes its internalization into host epithelial cells and then uses an F-actin-dependent motility process to spread from infected cells to surrounding healthy cells. In cultured enterocytes, efficient spread ofL. monocytogenesrequires the secreted bacterial protein InlC. InlC promotes dissemination by physically interacting with and antagonizing the function of the human adaptor protein Tuba. Here we examine the role of InlC and its interaction with host Tuba during infection in mice. The study took advantage of a single-amino-acid substitution (K173A) in InlC that impairs binding to human Tuba but does not affect InlC-mediated inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. Mice were inoculated intravenously with the wild-typeL. monocytogenesstrain EGD, an isogenic strain deleted for theinlCgene (ΔinlC), or a strain expressing K173A mutant InlC (inlC.K173A). The 50% lethal doses (LD50) for the ΔinlCorinlC.K173Amutant strain were approximately 4- or 6-fold greater than that for the wild-type strain, indicating a role forinlCin virulence. Compared to the wild-type strain, theinlC.K173Amutant strain exhibited lower bacterial loads in the liver. Histological analysis of livers indicated that the twoinlCmutant strains produced smaller foci of infection than did the wild-type strain. These smaller foci are consistent with a role for InlC in cell-to-cell spreadin vivo. Taken together, these results provide evidence that interaction of InlC with host Tuba is important for full virulence.

scholarly journals Overexpression of Wild-Type Aspartokinase Increases l-Lysine Production in the Thermotolerant Methylotrophic Bacterium Bacillus methanolicus

2008 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 652-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
�yvind M. Jakobsen ◽  
Trygve Brautaset ◽  
Kristin F. Degnes ◽  
Tonje M. B. Heggeset ◽  
Simone Balzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Methylotrophic Bacterium ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Lysine Production ◽  
Bacillus Methanolicus ◽  
Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase ◽  
Aspartate Pathway ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Aspartokinase (AK) controls the carbon flow into the aspartate pathway for the biosynthesis of the amino acids l-methionine, l-threonine, l-isoleucine, and l-lysine. We report here the cloning of four genes (asd, encoding aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; dapA, encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase; dapG, encoding AKI; and yclM, encoding AKIII) of the aspartate pathway in Bacillus methanolicus MGA3. Together with the known AKII gene lysC, dapG and yclM form a set of three AK genes in this organism. Overexpression of dapG, lysC, and yclM increased l-lysine production in wild-type B. methanolicus strain MGA3 2-, 10-, and 60-fold (corresponding to 11 g/liter), respectively, without negatively affecting the specific growth rate. The production levels of l-methionine (less than 0.5 g/liter) and l-threonine (less than 0.1 g/liter) were low in all recombinant strains. The AK proteins were purified, and biochemical analyses demonstrated that they have similar V max values (between 47 and 58 μmol/min/mg protein) and Km values for l-aspartate (between 1.9 and 5.0 mM). AKI and AKII were allosterically inhibited by meso-diaminopimelate (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 0.1 mM) and by l-lysine (IC50, 0.3 mM), respectively. AKIII was inhibited by l-threonine (IC50, 4 mM) and by l-lysine (IC50, 5 mM), and this enzyme was synergistically inhibited in the presence of both of these amino acids at low concentrations. The correlation between the impact on l-lysine production in vivo and the biochemical properties in vitro of the individual AK proteins is discussed. This is the first example of improving l-lysine production by metabolic engineering of B. methanolicus and also the first documentation of considerably increasing l-lysine production by overexpression of a wild-type AK.

scholarly journals Role of a New Intimin/Invasin-Like Protein in Yersinia pestis Virulence

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (10) ◽  
pp. 3559-3569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keun Seok Seo ◽  
Jong Wan Kim ◽  
Joo Youn Park ◽  
Austin K. Viall ◽  
Scott S. Minnich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Yersinia Pestis ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Lethal Dose ◽  
Insertion Site ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTA comprehensive TnphoAmutant library was constructed inYersinia pestisKIM6 to identify surface proteins involved inY. pestishost cell invasion and bacterial virulence. Insertion site analysis of the library repeatedly identified a 9,042-bp chromosomal gene (YPO3944), intimin/invasin-like protein (Ilp), similar to the Gram-negative intimin/invasin family of surface proteins. Deletion mutants ofilpwere generated inY. pestisstrains KIM5(pCD1+) Pgm−(pigmentation negative)/, KIM6(pCD1−) Pgm+, and CO92. Comparative analyses were done with the deletions and the parental wild type for bacterial adhesion to and internalization by HEp-2 cellsin vitro, infectivity and maintenance in the flea vector, and lethality in murine models of systemic and pneumonic plague. Deletion ofilphad no effect on bacterial blockage of flea blood feeding or colonization. TheY. pestisKIM5 Δilpstrain had reduced adhesion to and internalization by HEp-2 cells compared to the parental wild-type strain (P< 0.05). Following intravenous challenge withY. pestisKIM5 Δilp, mice had a delayed time to death and reduced dissemination to the lungs, livers, and kidneys as monitored byin vivoimaging using aluxreporter system (in vivoimaging system [IVIS]) and bacterial counts. Intranasal challenge in mice withY. pestisCO92 Δilphad a 55-fold increase in the 50% lethal dose ([LD50] 1.64 × 104CFU) compared to the parental wild-type strain LD50(2.98 × 102CFU). These findings identified Ilp as a novel virulence factor ofY. pestis.

scholarly journals The RNA Chaperone Hfq Promotes Fitness of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae during Porcine Pleuropneumonia

2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (8) ◽  
pp. 2952-2961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sargurunathan Subashchandrabose ◽  
Rhiannon M. Leveque ◽  
Roy N. Kirkwood ◽  
Matti Kiupel ◽  
Martha H. Mulks
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Actinobacillus Pleuropneumoniae ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Porcine Pleuropneumonia ◽  
Porcine Lungs

ABSTRACTActinobacillus pleuropneumoniaeis the etiological agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, an economically important disease of pigs. Thehfqgene inA. pleuropneumoniae, encoding the RNA chaperone and posttranscriptional regulator Hfq, is upregulated during infection of porcine lungs. To investigate the role of thisin vivo-induced gene inA. pleuropneumoniae, anhfqmutant strain was constructed. Thehfqmutant was defective in biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces. The level ofpgaCtranscript, encoding the biosynthesis of poly-β-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), a major biofilm matrix component, was lower and PNAG content was 10-fold lower in thehfqmutant than in the wild-type strain. When outer membrane proteins were examined, cysteine synthase, implicated in resistance to oxidative stress and tellurite, was not found at detectable levels in the absence of Hfq. Thehfqmutant displayed enhanced sensitivity to superoxide generated by methyl viologen and tellurite. These phenotypes were readily reversed by complementation with thehfqgene expressed from its native promoter. The role of Hfq in the fitness ofA. pleuropneumoniaewas assessed in a natural host infection model. Thehfqmutant failed to colonize porcine lungs and was outcompeted by the wild-type strain (median competitive index of 2 × 10−5). Our data demonstrate that thein vivo-induced genehfqis involved in the regulation of PNAG-dependent biofilm formation, resistance to superoxide stress, and the fitness and virulence ofA. pleuropneumoniaein pigs and begin to elucidate the role of anin vivo-induced gene in the pathogenesis of pleuropneumonia.

scholarly journals Role of Mrx Fimbriae of Xenorhabdus nematophila in Competitive Colonization of the Nematode Host

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (20) ◽  
pp. 7247-7254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Snyder ◽  
Hongjun He ◽  
Heather Owen ◽  
Chris Hanna ◽  
Steven Forst
Keyword(s):  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Infective Juvenile ◽  
Xenorhabdus Nematophila ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Phenotypic Variant

ABSTRACTXenorhabdus nematophilaengages in mutualistic associations with the infective juvenile (IJ) stage of specific entomopathogenic nematodes. Mannose-resistant (Mrx) chaperone-usher-type fimbriae are produced when the bacteria are grown on nutrient broth agar (NB agar). The role of Mrx fimbriae in the colonization of the nematode host has remained unresolved. We show thatX. nematophilagrown on LB agar produced flagella rather than fimbriae. IJs propagated onX. nematophilagrown on LB agar were colonized to the same extent as those propagated on NB agar. Further, progeny IJs were normally colonized bymrxmutant strains that lacked fimbriae both when bacteria were grown on NB agar and when coinjected into the insect host with aposymbiotic nematodes. Themrxstrains were not competitively defective for colonization when grown in the presence of wild-type cells on NB agar. In addition, a phenotypic variant strain that lacked fimbriae colonized as well as the wild-type strain. In contrast, themrxstrains displayed a competitive colonization defectin vivo. IJ progeny obtained from insects injected with comixtures of nematodes carrying either the wild-type or themrxstrain were colonized almost exclusively with the wild-type strain. Likewise, when insects were coinjected with aposymbiotic IJs together with a comixture of the wild-type andmrxstrains, the resulting IJ progeny were predominantly colonized with the wild-type strain. These results revealed that Mrx fimbriae confer a competitive advantage during colonizationin vivoand provide new insights into the role of chaperone-usher fimbriae in the life cycle ofX. nematophila.

scholarly journals The Homolog of the Gene bstA of the BTP1 Phage from Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium ST313 Is an Antivirulence Gene in Salmonella enterica Serovar Dublin

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Herrero-Fresno ◽  
Irene Cartas Espinel ◽  
Malene Roed Spiegelhauer ◽  
Priscila Regina Guerra ◽  
Karsten Wiber Andersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Luria Bertani ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Cattle Blood

ABSTRACTIn a previous study, a novel virulence gene,bstA, identified in aSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium sequence type 313 (ST313) strain was found to be conserved in all publishedSalmonella entericaserovar Dublin genomes. In order to analyze the role of this gene in the host-pathogen interaction inS. Dublin, a mutant where this gene was deleted (S. Dublin ΔbstA) and a mutant which was further genetically complemented withbstA(S. Dublin 3246-C) were constructed and tested in models ofin vitroandin vivoinfection as well as during growth competition assays in M9 medium, Luria-Bertani broth, and cattle blood. In contrast to the results obtained for a strain ofS. Typhimurium ST313, the lack ofbstAwas found to be associated with increased virulence inS. Dublin. Thus,S. Dublin ΔbstAshowed higher levels of uptake than the wild-type strain during infection of mouse and cattle macrophages and higher net replication within human THP-1 cells. Furthermore, during mouse infections,S. Dublin ΔbstAwas more virulent than the wild type following a single intraperitoneal infection and showed an increased competitive index during competitive infection assays. Deletion ofbstAdid not affect either the amount of cytokines released by THP-1 macrophages or the cytotoxicity toward these cells. The histology of the livers and spleens of mice infected with the wild-type strain and theS. Dublin ΔbstAmutant revealed similar levels of inflammation between the two groups. The gene was not important for adherence to or invasion of human epithelial cells and did not influence bacterial growth in rich medium, minimal medium, or cattle blood. In conclusion, a lack ofbstAaffects the pathogenicity ofS. Dublin by decreasing its virulence. Therefore, it might be regarded as an antivirulence gene in this serovar.

scholarly journals Titan Cell Production Enhances the Virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 3776-3785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliet N. Crabtree ◽  
Laura H. Okagaki ◽  
Darin L. Wiesner ◽  
Anna K. Strain ◽  
Judith N. Nielsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Cell Formation ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cell Production

ABSTRACTInfection withCryptococcus neoformansbegins when desiccated yeast cells or spores are inhaled and lodge in the alveoli of the lungs. A subset of cryptococcal cells in the lungs differentiate into enlarged cells, referred to as titan cells. Titan cells can be as large as 50 to 100 μm in diameter and exhibit a number of features that may affect interactions with host immune defenses. To characterize the effect of titan cell formation on the host-pathogen interaction, we utilized a previously describedC. neoformansmutant, thegpr4Δgpr5Δ mutant, which has minimal titan cell productionin vivo. Thegpr4Δgpr5Δ mutant strain had attenuated virulence, a lower CFU, and reduced dissemination compared to the wild-type strain. Titan cell production by the wild-type strain also resulted in increased eosinophil accumulation and decreased phagocytosis in the lungs compared to those with thegpr4Δgpr5Δ mutant strain. Phagocytosed cryptococcal cells exhibited less viability than nonphagocytosed cells, which potentially explains the reduced cell survival and overall attenuation of virulence in the absence of titan cells. These data show that titan cell formation is a novel virulence factor inC. neoformansthat promotes establishment of the initial pulmonary infection and plays a key role in disease progression.

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