Nutritional Requirements and Their Importance for Virulence of Pathogenic Cryptococcus Species.

sp. are basidiomycete yeasts which can be found widely, free-living in the environment. Interactions with natural predators, such as amoebae in the soil, are thought to have promoted the development of adaptations enabling the organism to survive inside human macrophages. Infection with in humans occurs following inhalation of desiccated yeast cells or spore particles and may result in fatal meningoencephalitis. Human disease is caused almost exclusively by the species complex, which predominantly infects immunocompromised patients, and the species complex, which is capable of infecting immunocompetent individuals. The nutritional requirements of are critical for its virulence in animals. has evolved a broad range of nutrient acquisition strategies, many if not most of which also appear to contribute to its virulence, enabling infection of animal hosts. In this review, we summarise the current understanding of nutritional requirements and acquisition in and offer perspectives to its evolution as a significant pathogen of humans.