The Analysis Of Magnesium Transporters In Cryptococcus Neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is human fungal pathogen,widely found in the air,soil and animal feces.The route of Cryptococcus initiates in the lung,through the inhalation of fungal cells by human,followed by disseminating into brain tissues where meningitis is formed.Unlike other opportunistic fungal pathogens,Cryptococcus neoformans is the causative agent for both immune-deficient and health individuals,leading over 600,000 death per year globally.However,anti-fungal chemotherapy treatments for Cryptococcus neoformans infections are usual less efficient.In the past decade,many studies demonstrated that metal ion plays critical roles in the regulation of fungal virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans.Magnesium homeostasis directly effects the fungal virulence.In the current study,we aim to analyze three magnesium transporters,Mgtl,Mtg2 and Mtg3,and to understand the correlation between magnesium homeostasis and fungal virulence in the host.Our data shows that:(1)Mgtl and Mgt3 were not directly involved in the regulation of fungal virulence in the hosts;Mgt2 regulates fungal pathogenesis,loss of Mgt2 causes an increased cell proliferation in the lung;(2)Mgt2 participated in fungal magnesium transportation;Knocking out MGT2 reduced intracellular magnesium concentration;(3)Magnesium transporter Mgt2 was localized on the vacuole membrane and intracellular spaces.The localization of Mgt2 is regulated by environmental magnesium levels;(4)Knocking out MGT2 reduced the synthesis ofmelanin and promoted the formation of capsule.