Abstract

Fungal infections cause over one and a half million deaths annually, while the most common invasive species Cryptococcus neoformans kills more people each year than tuberculosis. In immunocompromised individuals, namely HIV/AIDS patients, Cryptococcus is extremely virulent and can spread to the brain causing meningitis. Furthermore, the cellular composition of bacterial cells is so similar to human cells that the production of antifungal drugs is very challenging. Due to increases in immunosuppressive drugs and a large population of humans living with some form of autoimmune disorders, cryptococcal meningitis cases have become prevalent and require innovative research.

The Smith lab hypothesizes that acetate utilization directly links to virulence since the site of infection, the lungs, is low in glucose content. One of fifteen initial genes screened by the Smith laboratory deemed crucial for acetate utilization was CNAG_00403, a mitochondrial protein that functions in the production of L-carnitine. This amino acid helps transport Acyl-Coa into the mitochondria to be broken down as part of the Krebs Cycle to produce energy for the fungi as a part of fatty acid metabolization. Further research is required to understand the carnitine biosynthesis pathway to see if it could be manipulated to prevent virulence of Cryptococcus.