Table 1.
Number of inositol transporter (ITR) candidates in fungi.
Figure 1.
A model of how inositol affects the infection cycle of C. neoformans.
Cryptococcus cells commonly exist in the environment by associating with several niches, including birds, soil, and plants. Inositol is present on plant surfaces and can stimulate fungal mating (including fruiting) to produce infectious spores. Spores inhaled by humans can enter the lungs to cause lung infection. Fungal cells can also be disseminated to the central nervous system (CNS), where abundant inositol is present, and cause fungal meningitis. Inositol can be used as a precursor for both the energy source and the signaling molecule. Part of the model is adapted from Hull and Heitman [6].