Open AccessLipid metabolism in Cryptococcus neoformans
Author(s) -
Shea John M.,
Henry Jennifer L.,
Del Poeta Maurizio
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fems yeast research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1567-1364
pISSN - 1567-1356
DOI - 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2006.00080.x
Subject(s) - cryptococcus neoformans , biology , cryptococcosis , lipid metabolism , cryptococcus , antifungal drug , sphingolipid , fungus , inflammation , microbiology and biotechnology , computational biology , antifungal , immunology , biochemistry , botany
Abstract In recent years, lipids have been shown to act as signalling molecules not only in mammalian cells but also in many other eukaryotes. Whereas in mammalian cells lipids regulate cellular functions that play crucial roles in the regulation of pathobiological processes, such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammation, in the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans lipids play key roles in the regulation of pathogenic traits required for the development of cryptococcosis, an infectious disease particularly frequent in immunocompromised individuals. In this minireview we discuss recent advances in the understanding of lipid metabolism in this important human pathogen, highlighting the potential of fungal lipid enzymatic pathways as promising new drug targets.