RNA-seq of Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans most frequently causes disease in immunocompetent patients. However, in Vietnam and east Asia, disease is frequently reported in apparently immunocompetent patients. We have previously shown that almost all such disease is due to a specific lineage of C. neoformans VNIa-5. However, in HIV infected patients, infections due to this lineage are not associated with worse outcomes. Here, we demonstrate that the VNIa-5 presents different virulence phenotypes depending on its source. Isolates derived from immunocompetent patients are more virulent than those from HIV infected patients or the environment. Moreover, the virulence phenotype is plastic, sterile culture filtrate from highly virulent VNIa-5 strains can induce increased virulence in less virulent VNIa-5 isolates, which in turn can then induce increased virulence in their low virulence states. We present evidence that this phenomenon is driven by secreted proteins associated with extra-cellular vesicles.This RNA-seq data is part of the evidence for this study.BioRxiv DOI 10.1101/2020.02.24.962134