The Cryptococcus neoformans genome sequencing project

Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycete that can cause life-threatening meningoencephalitis in patients with and without impaired immune function. Cryptococcosis is usually an opportunistic infection in patients with compr omised immunity as a consequence of HIV-1 infection, steroid administration , cancer chemotherapy, sarcoidosis, diabetes, or inherited immune system de fects. This pathogenic yeast has a defined sexual cycle, which allows class ical genetic analysis. Molecular biology approaches, including transformati on and gene disruption by homologous recombination, and animal models for s tudies of virulence are both well developed. Recently an international cons ortium convened to begin the C. neoformans genome sequencing project, and w e review here background and arguments fur this project. We also discuss th e importance of this project to the biology and virulence of this organism in particular, and to virulence in general.