Identification and characterization of a novel sporulation-related protein Srp1 in Cryptococcus neoformans

Abstract:

[Objective] To investigate the role and its mechanism of the sporulation-related protein Srp1 in sexual reproduction and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. [Methods] Biolistic transformation method was conducted to construct the srp1Δ mutants and its complemented strains. Fungal virulence assay and bilateral mating assay were used to test the role of Srp1 in fungal development in C. neoformans. [Results] In comparison with the wild-type strain H99, the srp1Δ mutants had no significant difference in fungal virulence. Although the srp1Δ mutants can mate and form the dikaryotic hyphae in bilateral mating, the srp1Δ mutants have lost their ability to produce basidiospores. Fungal nuclei development assay showed that the nuclei in the bilateral mating of srp1Δ mutants failed to undergo meiosis after fusion, which can lead to failure of basidiospore formation in srp1Δ mutants. [Conclusion] The sporulation related protein Srp1 is not required for fungal virulence, but control sexual reproduction by regulating meiosis during mating in C. neoformans.