Genome-wide analysis of heat stress-stimulated transposon mobility in the human fungal pathogenCryptococcus deneoformans

Abstract

We recently reported transposon mutagenesis as a significant driver of spontaneous mutations in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans during murine infection. Mutations caused by transposable element (TE) insertion into reporter genes were dramatically elevated at high temperature (37° versus 30°) in vitro, suggesting that heat stress stimulates TE mobility in the Cryptococcus genome. To explore the genome-wide impact of TE mobilization, we generated transposon accumulation lines by in vitro passage of C. deneoformans strain XL280α for multiple generations at both 30° and at the host-relevant temperature of 37°. Utilizing whole-genome sequencing, we identified native TE copies and mapped multiple de novo TE insertions in these lines. Movements of the T1 DNA transposon occurred at both temperatures with a strong bias for insertion between gene-coding regions. By contrast, the Tcn12 retrotransposon integrated primarily within genes and movement occurred exclusively at 37°. In addition, we observed a dramatic amplification in copy number of the Cnl1 (C. neoformans LINE-1) retrotransposon in sub-telomeric regions under heat-stress conditions. Finally, we found multiple TE movements (T1, Tcn12 and Cnl1) in the genomes of single C. deneoformans isolates recovered from infected mice, providing further evidence that mobile elements are likely to facilitate microevolution and rapid adaptation during infection.Significance StatementRising global temperatures and climate change are predicted to increase fungal diseases in plants and mammals. However, the impact of heat stress on genetic changes in environmental fungi is largely unexplored. Environmental stressors can stimulate the movement of mobile DNA elements (transposons) within the genome to alter the genetic landscape. This report provides a genome-wide assessment of heat stress-induced transposon mobilization in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus. Movements of three distinct elements were characterized, each with increased mobility at elevated temperature. Additionally, movements of all three elements were detected in the genomes of Cryptococcus recovered from infected mice. These findings suggest that heat stress-stimulated transposon mobility contributes to rapid adaptive changes in fungi both in the environment and during infection.