Our long-term goal is to have a better understanding of melanin, one of the most important virulence factors of Cryptococcus neoformans. Melanin protects C. neoformans against a variety of stresses increasing its virulence and resistance to fungicidal treatment. We are using monoclonal antibodies against the phenolic oxidase enzyme (laccase) to study the process of melanogenesis in C. neoformans. The possible protective activity of these antibodies will be assayed and the role of the laccase enzyme during infection will be studied. Understanding of these processes will help us in developing better strategies for the control of C. neoformans.
| Garcia-Rivera, Javier; Eisenman, Helene C; Nosanchuk, Joshua D et al. (2005) Comparative analysis of Cryptococcus neoformans acid-resistant particles generated from pigmented cells grown in different laccase substrates. Fungal Genet Biol 42:989-98 |
| Garcia-Rivera, Javier; Tucker, Stephanie C; Feldmesser, Marta et al. (2005) Laccase expression in murine pulmonary Cryptococcus neoformans infection. Infect Immun 73:3124-7 |
| Garcia-Rivera, Javier; Chang, Yun C; Kwon-Chung, K J et al. (2004) Cryptococcus neoformans CAP59 (or Cap59p) is involved in the extracellular trafficking of capsular glucuronoxylomannan. Eukaryot Cell 3:385-92 |
