Cryptococcus neoformans mutant screening: a genome-scale's worth of function discovery. Issue 3 (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Motaung, Thabiso E.
• Is Part Of: Fungal biology reviews. Volume 32:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 181
• Page End: 203
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Agrobacterium -- Biolistic transformation -- Gene discovery -- Mutant screens -- Phenotype -- Signature tag -- Virulence genes; Mycology -- Periodicals; Fungi -- Periodicals; Mycologie -- Périodiques; Champignons -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Périodiques; 579.505
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2018.01.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1749-4613

Abstract

Abstract: Described in humans in 1894, Cryptococcus neoformans, a medically-important basidiomycete fungus, has since been studied in order to identify the factors that enable it to cause disease. Large-scale collections of mutants have been created, and mutant strains deposited in biorepositories. Studying these collections provides deeper functional insights for genes controlling biological processes, and ultimately complements a wealth of genomics and transcriptomics information. Therefore, to many laboratories use of these resources is profoundly insightful to study the molecular basis of cryptococcal pathobiology. The available collections of C. neoformans mutants also aid the molecular target identification and drug discovery efforts. To facilitate access to information, large-scale gene discoveries made from screening C. neoformans collections for over the past decade and a half are hereby compiled in a single document, and their key findings presented in brief. Cryptococcus neoformans is potentially the only basidiomycete yeast with extensively analyzed collections of mutants, and this makes it a plausible model for the creation of important collections for other basidiomycete fungi. Indeed, the genome-wide collections discussed in this present review represent a large sum of genes with associated phenotypes in virulence of this species on which prospective screens can rely as a reference point. Therefore, it is desired that studies underway will draw from these genome-wide screens to identify management strategies against fungal diseases. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Cryptococcus neoformans collections accelerate gene discovery. Hence, large-scale screens make the genome functional. Many screens help identify usable molecular targets. Therefore, these screens support drug discovery.