FIG. 7.

Dysregulation of cAMP due to Crg2 mutation attenuates fungal virulence. (A) In the first test, a Δcrg2 mutant strain and Δcrg2 Δgpa1 and Δcrg2 Δcpk1 double mutant strains were inoculated via nasal cavities into 10 A/JCR mice. In the second test, Δcrg2, Δcrg2 Δgpa2, Δcrg2 Δgpa3, and Δcrg2 Δcpk1 mutant strains were inoculated via the same infection route into five A/JCR mice. Mouse survival was monitored twice daily and plotted against time. The discrepancy in the survival times of mice infected with the Δcrg2 mutant strain in the two tests likely reflects variation in culture conditions, inoculation conditions, and mouse condition. WT, wild type. (B) C. neoformans cells were visible in lung and brain homogenates. The mouse tissue was homogenized with a Dounce homogenizer 2 weeks (14 days [14 D]) or 35 or 67 days (D) postinfection and stained with India ink. Please note that the cells are significantly larger than those seen in Fig. 4. Bars, 20 μm.