FIG 7 .

itr mutant strains are still virulent in mice. (A and B) Female A/JCr mice were inoculated intranasally with the following strains: H99, itr1 mutant (CUX7), itr1a mutant (CDX99), itr2 mutant (CDX103), itr3 mutant (CDX105), itr3a mutant (CDX102), itr3b mutant (CDX101), itr3c mutant (CUX42), ino1 mutant (UBCINO1), ino1 itr1 double mutant (CUX17), and ino1 itr1a double mutant (CUX23). Two experiments were performed to finish the virulence test for all above-mentioned strains. Groups of 10 mice were infected with each strain. Animals were monitored for clinical signs of cryptococcal infection and sacrificed at predetermined clinical end points that predict imminent mortality. (C) Fungal burdens in organs infected by ino1 itr1 and ino1 itr1a mutants were compared with those in organs infected by H99 at the end point of the infection. The numbers of colony-forming units (CFU) per gram of organ tissue were measured in brain, lung, and spleen homogenates. Each error bar indicates the standard error of the mean for values obtained from testing three animals.