Genetic association of mating types and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans

TLDR

A pair of congenic Cryptococcus neoformans var. strains differing only in mating type was constructed. The authors compared virulence of the mating‑type–specific congenic strains and their progeny (five alpha and five a) in a mouse model.

Abstract

A pair of congenic Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans strains, B-4476 (a mating type) and B-4500 (alpha mating type), that presumably differ only in mating type was constructed. This pair and their progeny, five alpha type and five a type, were tested for virulence in mice. In the parent strains as well as the progeny, alpha type was clearly more virulent than a type. In addition, death tended to occur earlier among the alpha-strain-infected mice that died than among the mice that died by infection caused by a strains. These data strongly suggest the genetic association of virulence with mating type in this human fungal pathogen.