Deadly Human Pathogen Cryptococcus Fully Sequenced

The strain H99, from the pathogenic lineage of Cryptococcus neoforms, has been genomically sequenced along with its complementary counterparts after a 10 year effort. This fungus gives rise to millions of cases of pneumonia and meningitis every year and up until now was a very dangerous, mysterious strain. With the genomic blueprint, scientists will be able to be able to test it repeatedly to find its weakness and how to fight against this deadly pathogen and its mutating strains. H99 is mutating strain that affects those with low immune systems such as individuals already infected with the HIV virus or transplant patients. Fred Dietrich and colleagues have isolated the strain and unraveled the genetic sequence in both a laboratory controlled setting as well as the host. This strain is so dangerous because it is able to produce genetic messages from both strands of DNA which enable it to constantly adapt to new environments thus making it a stronger, unbreakable virus. Dietrich and colleagues have uncoded the genome, DNA code, transcriptome, and the RNA molecules. There are approximately 20 million ACTG nucleotides each in the genetic code. The next step will be to mutate every gene to see which change will cause pathogenesis. This will give insight on this particular gene but will also be a point of reference for comparing other genomes of similar strains.

This unfolding of genomic sequencing is incredible and will be used as a point of reference and starting point for other strains similar to this. With this code, we can alter and see what can be added or deleted to fight against and make it more vulnerable to antibiotics. Millions of people every year are diagnosed with meningitis or pneumonia by inhaling airborne fungal spores. This is just the beginning of the fight against Cryptococcus neoforms. This fungus can be found in soil throughout the entire world.

Primary website: http://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/cryptococcosis-neoformans/

Secondary website: http://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/cryptococcosis-neoformans/

Labels: Cryptococcus neoform, fungus, genomic sequence, meningitis, pneumonia