GENETIC ASSOCIATION OF MATING TYPES AND VIRULENCE IN CRYPTOCOCCUS-NEOFORMANS

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.