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. 1992 Feb;60(2):602–605. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.2.602-605.1992

Genetic association of mating types and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans.

K J Kwon-Chung 1, J C Edman 1, B L Wickes 1
PMCID: PMC257671  PMID: 1730495

Abstract

A pair of congenic Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans strains, B-4476 (a mating type) and B-4500 (alpha mating type), that presumably differ only in mating type was constructed. This pair and their progeny, five alpha type and five a type, were tested for virulence in mice. In the parent strains as well as the progeny, alpha type was clearly more virulent than a type. In addition, death tended to occur earlier among the alpha-strain-infected mice that died than among the mice that died by infection caused by a strains. These data strongly suggest the genetic association of virulence with mating type in this human fungal pathogen.

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Selected References

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