Intracellular parasitism by Histoplasma capsulatum: fungal virulence and calcium dependence.
Science
; 290(5495): 1368-72, 2000 Nov 17.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11082066
ABSTRACT
Histoplasma capsulatum is an effective intracellular parasite of macrophages and causes the most prevalent fungal respiratory disease in the United States. A "dimorphic" fungus, H. capsulatum exists as a saprophytic mold in soil and converts to the parasitic yeast form after inhalation. Only the yeasts secrete a calcium-binding protein (CBP) and can grow in calcium-limiting conditions. To probe the relation between calcium limitation and intracellular parasitism, we designed a strategy to disrupt CBP1 in H. capsulatum using a telomeric linear plasmid and a two-step genetic selection. The resultingcbp1 yeasts no longer grew when deprived of calcium, and they were also unable to destroy macrophages in vitro or proliferate in a mouse model of pulmonary infection.
Search on Google
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Calcium-Binding Proteins
/
Calcium
/
Histoplasma
/
Histoplasmosis
/
Macrophages
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Science
Year:
2000
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States