Phenotypic Plasticity in the Productions of Virulence Factors Within and Among Serotypes in the Cryptococcus neoformans Species Complex

The Cryptococcus neoformans species complex (CNSC) is a common opportunistic human fungal pathogen and the most frequent cause of fungal meningitis. There are three major serotypes in CNSC: A, D, and their hybrids AD, and they have different geographic distributions and medical significance. Melanin pigment and a polysaccharide capsule are the two major virulence factors in CNSC. However, the relationships between serotype and virulence factor …