Deadly Human Pathogen Fully Sequenced

In this article, researchers have sequenced the entire genome and all the RNA products of the most important pathogenic lineage of Cryptococcus neoformans, a strain called H99.  The results describe numerous genetic changes that can take place after laboratory handling of H99 that cause it to be more susceptible to stress, affect its ability to sexually reproduce, and cause it to be less virulent.  The study describes how the pathogen causes diseases and how to keep it from becoming deadly.  By having a sequenced genome of H99, researchers now know why organisms like this aren't easily killed by antifungal medications.  Cryptococcus neoformans is a major human pathogen that mainly affects humans with compromised immune systems.  The best way for the researchers to study how the virulence of this pathogen could change over time was to develop a map of the H99 strain in both its original state and after it had been cultured.  The researchers discovered the molecules ability to produce genetic messages from both strands of DNA, which enables it to adapt and survive in changing conditions.  They also discovered that the original and cultured strains were very similar to each other.

The results from this study could help researchers study this organism and other organisms like it.  If more studies like this are performed, more genomes could be sequenced.  Genome sequencing could help us cure and possibly prevent deadly human pathogens from occurring in the future.











Original article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140417191618.htm
To learn more about pathogens, visit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/p/pathogen.htm