James W. Kronstad

Comparative hybridization reveals extensive genome variation in the AIDS-associated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (2008)

Hu, Guanggan, Liu, Iris, Sham, Anita, Stajich, Jason E, Dietrich, Fred S, Kronstad, James W

Abstract Background Genome variability can have a profound influence on the virulence of pathogenic microbes. The availability of genome sequences for two strains of the AIDS-associated fungal...

Iron Source Preference and Regulation of Iron Uptake in Cryptococcus neoformans (2008)

Won Hee Jung, Anita Sham, Tianshun Lian, Arvinder Singh, Daniel J. Kosman, James W. Kronstad

The level of available iron in the mammalian host is extremely low, and pathogenic microbes must compete with host proteins such as transferrin for iron. Iron regulation of gene expression, including...

Transcriptional Regulation by Protein Kinase A in Cryptococcus neoformans (2007)

Guanggan Hu, Barbara R. Steen, Tianshun Lian, Anita P. Sham, Nicola Tam, Kristin L. Tangen, ...

A defect in the PKA1 gene encoding the catalytic subunit of cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate (cAMP)–dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is known to reduce capsule size and attenuate virulence in...

Iron Regulation of the Major Virulence Factors in the AIDS-Associated Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (2006)

Won Hee Jung, Anita Sham, Rick White, James W. Kronstad

Iron overload is known to exacerbate many infectious diseases, and conversely, iron withholding is an important defense strategy for mammalian hosts. Iron is a critical cue for Cryptococcus...

Insights from the genome of the biotrophic fungal plant pathogen Ustilago maydis (2006)

Kahmann, Regine, Bölker, Michael, Ma, Li-Jun, Brefort, Thomas, Saville, Barry J, ...

Ustilago maydis is a ubiquitous pathogen of maize and a well-established model organism for the study of plant-microbe interactions. This basidiomycete fungus does not use aggressive virulence...

Physical map-assisted whole-genome shotgun sequence assemblies (2006)

Warren, René L., Varabei, Dmitry, Platt, Darren, Huang, Xiaoqiu, Messina, David, Yang, Shiaw-Pyng, ...

We describe a targeted approach to improve the contiguity of whole-genome shotgun sequence (WGS) assemblies at run-time, using information from Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC)-based physical...

Adenylyl Cyclase Functions Downstream of the Gα Protein Gpa1 and Controls Mating and Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans (2002)

Alspaugh, J. Andrew, Pukkila-Worley, Read, Harashima, Toshiaki, Cavallo, Lora M., Funnell, Deanna L., Cox, Gary M., ...

The signaling molecule cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that enables cells to detect and respond to extracellular signals. cAMP is generated by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase, which is...

Identification of a cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit required for virulence and morphogenesis in Ustilago maydis

Dürrenberger, Franz, Wong, Katherine, Kronstad, James W.

Ustilago maydis, a fungal pathogen of maize, alternates between budding and filamentous growth in response to mating and other environmental signals. Defects in components of the cAMP signaling...

The mating-type and pathogenicity locus of the fungus Ustilago hordei spans a 500-kb region

Lee, Nancy, Bakkeren, Guus, Wong, Katherine, Sherwood, John E., Kronstad, James W.

The fungal pathogen Ustilago hordei causes the covered smut disease of barley and oats. Mating and pathogenicity in this fungus are controlled by the MAT locus, which contains two distinct gene...

Adenylyl Cyclase Functions Downstream of the Gα Protein Gpa1 and Controls Mating and Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

Alspaugh, J. Andrew, Pukkila-Worley, Read, Harashima, Toshiaki, Cavallo, Lora M., Funnell, Deanna, Cox, Gary M., ...

The signaling molecule cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that enables cells to detect and respond to extracellular signals. cAMP is generated by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase, which is...

ras2 Controls Morphogenesis, Pheromone Response, and Pathogenicity in the Fungal Pathogen Ustilago maydis

Lee, Nancy, Kronstad, James W.

Ustilago maydis, a pathogen of maize, is a useful model for the analysis of mating, pathogenicity, and the morphological transition between budding and filamentous growth in fungi. As in other fungi,...

Temperature-Regulated Transcription in the Pathogenic Fungus Cryptococcus neoformans

Steen, Barbara R., Lian, Tian, Zuyderduyn, Scott, MacDonald, William Kim, Marra, Marco, Jones, Steven J.M., ...

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic pathogen of worldwide importance that causes meningitis, leading to death in immunocompromised individuals. Unlike many...

Physical Maps for Genome Analysis of Serotype A and D Strains of the Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Schein, Jacqueline E., Tangen, Kristin L., Chiu, Readman, Shin, Heesun, Lengeler, Klaus B., MacDonald, William Kim, ...

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an important opportunistic pathogen of humans that poses a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals. Isolates of C. neoformans are...

Comparative Gene Genealogies Indicate that Two Clonal Lineages of Cryptococcus gattii in British Columbia Resemble Strains from Other Geographical Areas

Kidd, Sarah E., Guo, Hong, Bartlett, Karen H., Xu, Jianping, Kronstad, James W.

Cryptococcus gattii has recently emerged as a pathogen of humans and animals in the temperate climate of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (B.C.). The majority (∼95%) of the isolates from the...

Serial Analysis of Gene Expression Reveals Conserved Links between Protein Kinase A, Ribosome Biogenesis, and Phosphate Metabolism in Ustilago maydis

Larraya, Luis M., Boyce, Kylie J., So, Austin, Steen, Barbara R., Jones, Steven, Marra, Marco, ...

The switch from budding to filamentous growth is a key aspect of invasive growth and virulence for the fungal phytopathogen Ustilago maydis. The cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway regulates...

An Ustilago maydis Septin Is Required for Filamentous Growth in Culture and for Full Symptom Development on Maize

Boyce, Kylie J., Chang, Howard, D'Souza, Cletus A., Kronstad, James W.

During maize infection, the fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis undergoes a dimorphic transition from budding, yeast-like cells to a filamentous dikaryon that proliferates in the host. This transition is...

Physical map-assisted whole-genome shotgun sequence assemblies

Warren, René L., Varabei, Dmitry, Platt, Darren, Huang, Xiaoqiu, Messina, David, Yang, Shiaw-Pyng, ...

We describe a targeted approach to improve the contiguity of whole-genome shotgun sequence (WGS) assemblies at run-time, using information from Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC)-based physical...

The vtc4 Gene Influences Polyphosphate Storage, Morphogenesis, and Virulence in the Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis

Boyce, Kylie J., Kretschmer, Matthias, Kronstad, James W.

The maize pathogen Ustilago maydis switches from budding to filamentous, dikaryotic growth in response to environmental signals including nutrient status, growth in the host, and the presence of...

Identification of a cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit required for virulence and morphogenesis in Ustilago maydis

Dürrenberger, Franz, Wong, Katherine, Kronstad, James W.

Ustilago maydis, a fungal pathogen of maize, alternates between budding and filamentous growth in response to mating and other environmental signals. Defects in components of the cAMP signaling...

The mating-type and pathogenicity locus of the fungus Ustilago hordei spans a 500-kb region

Lee, Nancy, Bakkeren, Guus, Wong, Katherine, Sherwood, John E., Kronstad, James W.

The fungal pathogen Ustilago hordei causes the covered smut disease of barley and oats. Mating and pathogenicity in this fungus are controlled by the MAT locus, which contains two distinct gene...

Adenylyl Cyclase Functions Downstream of the Gα Protein Gpa1 and Controls Mating and Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

Alspaugh, J. Andrew, Pukkila-Worley, Read, Harashima, Toshiaki, Cavallo, Lora M., Funnell, Deanna, Cox, Gary M., ...

The signaling molecule cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that enables cells to detect and respond to extracellular signals. cAMP is generated by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase, which is...

ras2 Controls Morphogenesis, Pheromone Response, and Pathogenicity in the Fungal Pathogen Ustilago maydis

Lee, Nancy, Kronstad, James W.

Ustilago maydis, a pathogen of maize, is a useful model for the analysis of mating, pathogenicity, and the morphological transition between budding and filamentous growth in fungi. As in other fungi,...

Temperature-Regulated Transcription in the Pathogenic Fungus Cryptococcus neoformans

Steen, Barbara R., Lian, Tian, Zuyderduyn, Scott, MacDonald, William Kim, Marra, Marco, Jones, Steven J.M., ...

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic pathogen of worldwide importance that causes meningitis, leading to death in immunocompromised individuals. Unlike many...

Physical Maps for Genome Analysis of Serotype A and D Strains of the Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Schein, Jacqueline E., Tangen, Kristin L., Chiu, Readman, Shin, Heesun, Lengeler, Klaus B., MacDonald, William Kim, ...

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an important opportunistic pathogen of humans that poses a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals. Isolates of C. neoformans are...

Comparative Gene Genealogies Indicate that Two Clonal Lineages of Cryptococcus gattii in British Columbia Resemble Strains from Other Geographical Areas

Kidd, Sarah E., Guo, Hong, Bartlett, Karen H., Xu, Jianping, Kronstad, James W.

Cryptococcus gattii has recently emerged as a pathogen of humans and animals in the temperate climate of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (B.C.). The majority (∼95%) of the isolates from the...

Serial Analysis of Gene Expression Reveals Conserved Links between Protein Kinase A, Ribosome Biogenesis, and Phosphate Metabolism in Ustilago maydis

Larraya, Luis M., Boyce, Kylie J., So, Austin, Steen, Barbara R., Jones, Steven, Marra, Marco, ...

The switch from budding to filamentous growth is a key aspect of invasive growth and virulence for the fungal phytopathogen Ustilago maydis. The cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway regulates...

An Ustilago maydis Septin Is Required for Filamentous Growth in Culture and for Full Symptom Development on Maize

Boyce, Kylie J., Chang, Howard, D'Souza, Cletus A., Kronstad, James W.

During maize infection, the fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis undergoes a dimorphic transition from budding, yeast-like cells to a filamentous dikaryon that proliferates in the host. This transition is...

Physical map-assisted whole-genome shotgun sequence assemblies

Warren, René L., Varabei, Dmitry, Platt, Darren, Huang, Xiaoqiu, Messina, David, Yang, Shiaw-Pyng, ...

We describe a targeted approach to improve the contiguity of whole-genome shotgun sequence (WGS) assemblies at run-time, using information from Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC)-based physical...

The vtc4 Gene Influences Polyphosphate Storage, Morphogenesis, and Virulence in the Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis

Boyce, Kylie J., Kretschmer, Matthias, Kronstad, James W.

The maize pathogen Ustilago maydis switches from budding to filamentous, dikaryotic growth in response to environmental signals including nutrient status, growth in the host, and the presence of...

Iron Regulation of the Major Virulence Factors in the AIDS-Associated Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Jung, Won Hee, Sham, Anita, White, Rick, Kronstad, James W

Iron overload is known to exacerbate many infectious diseases, and conversely, iron withholding is an important defense strategy for mammalian hosts. Iron is a critical cue for Cryptococcus...

Transcriptional Regulation by Protein Kinase A in Cryptococcus neoformans

Hu, Guanggan, Steen, Barbara R, Lian, Tianshun, Sham, Anita P, Tam, Nicola, Tangen, Kristin L, ...

A defect in the PKA1 gene encoding the catalytic subunit of cyclic adenosine 5′-monophosphate (cAMP)–dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is known to reduce capsule size and attenuate virulence in...

The Multifunctional β-Oxidation Enzyme Is Required for Full Symptom Development by the Biotrophic Maize Pathogen Ustilago maydis▿

Klose, Jana, Kronstad, James W.

The transition from yeast-like to filamentous growth in the biotrophic fungal phytopathogen Ustilago maydis is a crucial event for pathogenesis. Previously, we showed that fatty acids induce...

Characterization of Environmental Sources of the Human and Animal Pathogen Cryptococcus gattii in British Columbia, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest of the United States▿

Kidd, Sarah E., Chow, Yat, Mak, Sunny, Bach, Paxton J., Chen, Huiming, Hingston, Adrian O., ...

Cryptococcus gattii has recently emerged as a primary pathogen of humans and wild and domesticated animals in British Columbia, particularly on Vancouver Island. C. gattii infections are typically...

Role of Homoserine Transacetylase as a New Target for Antifungal Agents▿

Nazi, Ishac, Scott, Adam, Sham, Anita, Rossi, Laura, Williamson, Peter R., Kronstad, James W., ...

Microbial amino acid biosynthesis is a proven yet underexploited target of antibiotics. The biosynthesis of methionine in particular has been shown to be susceptible to small-molecule inhibition in...

Iron Source Preference and Regulation of Iron Uptake in Cryptococcus neoformans

Jung, Won Hee, Sham, Anita, Lian, Tianshun, Singh, Arvinder, Kosman, Daniel J, Kronstad, James W

The level of available iron in the mammalian host is extremely low, and pathogenic microbes must compete with host proteins such as transferrin for iron. Iron regulation of gene expression, including...

Comparative hybridization reveals extensive genome variation in the AIDS-associated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Hu, Guanggan, Liu, Iris, Sham, Anita, Stajich, Jason E, Dietrich, Fred S, Kronstad, James W

Extensive genome variation in the AIDS-associated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is revealed through comparative genome hybridization between strains of different mating type, molecular subtype and...

Dandruff-associated Malassezia genomes reveal convergent and divergent virulence traits shared with plant and human fungal pathogens

Xu, Jun, Saunders, Charles W., Hu, Ping, Grant, Raymond A., Boekhout, Teun, Kuramae, Eiko E., ...

Fungi in the genus Malassezia are ubiquitous skin residents of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Malassezia are involved in disorders including dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, which together...

Cryptococcus gattii Dispersal Mechanisms, British Columbia, Canada

Kidd, Sarah E., Bach, Paxton J., Hingston, Adrian O., Mak, Sunny, Chow, Yat, MacDougall, Laura, ...

C. gattii may be spread through soil disturbances, wind, water, distribution of tree and soil byproducts, and human movement.

Spread of Cryptococcus gattii in British Columbia, Canada, and Detection in the Pacific Northwest, USA

MacDougall, Laura, Kidd, Sarah E., Galanis, Eleni, Mak, Sunny, Leslie, Mira J., Cieslak, Paul R., ...

Cryptococcus gattii, emergent on Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), Canada, in 1999, was detected during 2003–2005 in 3 persons and 8 animals that did not travel to Vancouver Island during...