Selective expression of the virulence factor BAD1 upon morphogenesis to the pathogenic yeast form of Blastomyces dermatitidis: evidence for transcriptional regulation by a conserved mechanism

Abstract excerpt

Most dimorphic fungal pathogens grow as non-pathogenic moulds in soil and convert to pathogenic yeast in the host, suggesting that virulence factors are upregulated during phase transition. Such factors have been difficult to identify. We analysed BAD1 (formerly WI-1), a virulence factor in the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis, for expression in yeast and mycelial morphotypes. BAD1 was expressed in yeast...