Transcriptome analysis of cryptococcal IPK mutants

In eukaryotes, inositol polyphosphates perform essential metabolic and signaling functions. Using human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans as a model, we created mutants in three inositol polyphosphates kinases: Arg1, Ipk1 and Kcs1. Each of the mutants produces a unique repertoire of inositol polyphosphates, different from the wild type strain. Comparative phenotypic and transcriptome analyses of wild type and mutant strains indicates that inositol polyphosphate PP-IP5 (IP7) is the key regulator of gene expression, fitness and virulence in C. neoformans. Comparison of WT and mutants (Darg1, Dkcs1 and Dipk1) grown in broth culture in the absence of stress.