Worm Turns Light On Fatal Fungus

Cryptococcus is a relatively common yeast-like fungus present in soil and certain trees, yet some strains of it can cause a disease which is fatal to patients with weakened immune systems, in particular those with HIV or Aids, where it affects one in ten patients.

Now researchers at the University of Birmingham are gleaning new insights into this deadly fungal disease, by studying the life cycle of a microscopic worm known as a nematode, and examining its interaction with the Cryptococcus fungus.

The research, which has just been published, showed that different strains of the worm had a different lifespan and there was a direct link between that lifespan and their resistance to the fungus; worms with a longer lifespan survived the Cryptococcus infection for longer, pointing to a stronger immune response.

They also discovered that the sex of the nematode worm played a role in its ability to resist Cryptococcus fungus, and that this could be turned on and off by changing the pathways that dictate the worm’s sex.

Now they are examining the action of the fungus on human defence cells (macrophages) to learn more about its affect on people.

A clearer understanding of the basic biology of the fungus will lead to a better understanding of its fatal impact on humans, and hopefully to ways of reducing people’s risk of infection to what, particularly in developing countries, is a major cause of death in patients with immune deficiencies.

Footage:
- Laboratory GVs
- Nematode Worms through microscope
- Microphage cells through microscope
- Time lapse of fungus growing

Interviewees:
- Professor Mark Pallen, Professor of Microbial Genomics, University of Birmingham