Alexander Idnurm’s publications

2000 − 2014

Voelz, K., Johnston, S.A., Smith, L.M., Hall, R.A., Idnurm, A., May, R.C. (2014) ‘Division of labour’ in response to host oxidative burst drives a fatal Cryptococcus gattii outbreak. Nature Communications 5: 5194. Article

Ianiri, G., Abhyankar, R. Kihara, A. and Idnurm, A. (2014) Phs1 and the synthesis of very long chain fatty acids are required for ballistospore formation. Public Library of Science ONE 9: e105147. Article

Janbon, G., Ormerod, K.L., Paulet, D., Byrnes, E.J. 3rd, Yadav, V., Chatterjee, G., Mullapudi, N., Hon, C.C., Billmyre, R.B., Brunel, F., Bahn, Y.-S., Chen, W., Chen, Y., Chow, E.W., Coppée, J.Y., Floyd-Averette, A., Gaillardin, C., Gerik, K.J., Goldberg, J., Gonzalez-Hilarion, S., Gujja, S., Hamlin, J.L., Hsueh, Y.-P,, Ianiri, G., Jones, S., Kodira, C.D., Kozubowski, L., Lam, W., Marra, M., Mesner, L.D., Mieczkowski, P.A., Moyrand, F., Nielsen, K., Proux, C., Rossignol, T., Schein, J.E., Sun, S., Wollschlaeger, C., Wood, I.A., Zeng, Q., Neuvéglise, C., Newlon, C.S., Perfect, J.R., Lodge, J.K., Idnurm, A., Stajich, J.E., Kronstad, J.W., Sanyal, K., Heitman, J., Fraser, J.A., Cuomo, C.A., Dietrich, F.S. (2014) Analysis of the genome and transcriptome of Cryptococcus neoformans grubii reveals complex RNA expression and microevolution leading to virulence attenuation. Public Library of Science Genetics 10:e1004261. Article

Shakya, V.P.S. and Idnurm, A. (2014) Sex determination directs uniparental mitochondrial inheritance in Phycomyces. Eukaryotic Cell 13: 186-189. Cover of journal and Spotlight article. Article

Riley, R., Charron, P., Idnurm, A., Farinelli, L., Dalpé, Y., Martin, F. and Corradi, N. (2014) Extreme diversification of the mating type-high-mobility group (MATA-HMG) gene family in a plant-associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. New Phytologist 201: 254-268.

Verma, S. and Idnurm, A. (2013) The Uve1 endonuclease is regulated by the White Collar complex to protect Cryptococcus neoformans from UV damage. Public Library of Science Genetics 9: e1003769. Article

Voelz, K., Ma, H., Phadke, S., Byrnes, E.J., Zhu, P., Mueller, O., Farrer, R.A., Henk, D.A., Lewit, Y., Hsueh, Y.-P., Fisher, M.C., Idnurm, A., Heitman, J. and May, R.C. (2013) Transmission of hypervirulence traits via sexual reproduction within and between lineages of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii. Public Library of Science Genetics 9: e1003771. Article F1000Prime Recommendation

Zhu, P., Zhai, B., Lin, X. and Idnurm, A. (2013) Congenic strains for the genetic analysis of virulence traits in Cryptococcus gattii. Infection and Immunity: 81: 2616-2625. Article

Zhai, B., Zhu, P., Foyle, D., Upadhyay, S., Idnurm, A. and Lin, X. (2013) Congenic strains of the filamentous form of Cryptococcus neoformans for studies of fungal morphogenesis and virulence. Infection and Immunity: 81: 2626-2637. Article

Ianiri, G., Idnurm, A., Wright, S.A.I., Durán-Patrón, R., Mannina, L., Ferracane, R., Ritieni, A. and Castoria, R. (2013) Searching for genes responsible for patulin degradation in a biocontrol yeast provides insight into the basis for resistance to this mycotoxin. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79: 3101-3115. Spotlight article in May issue. Article

Chaudhary, S., Polaino, S., Shakya, V.P.S. and Idnurm, A. (2013) A new genetic linkage map of the zygomycete fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Public Library of Science ONE 8: e58931. F1000Prime. Article

Abbott, E.P., Ianiri, G., Castoria, R. and Idnurm, A. (2013) Overcoming recalcitrant transformation and gene manipulation in Pucciniomycotina yeasts. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 97: 283-295.

Magditch, D.M., Liu, T.-B., Xue, C. and Idnurm, A. (2012) DNA mutations mediate microevolution between host-adapted forms of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Public Library of Science Pathogens 8: e1002936. Article

Wang, X., Wang, P., Sun, S., Darwiche, S., Idnurm, A. and Heitman (2012) Transgene induced co-suppression during vegetative growth in Cryptococcus neoformans. Public Library of Science Genetics 8: e1002885. F1000Prime Recommendation. Article

Tagua, V.G., Medina, H.R., Martín-Domínguez, R., Eslava, A.P., Corrochano, L.M., Cerdá-Olmedo, E. and Idnurm, A. (2012) A gene for carotene cleavage required for pheromone biosynthesis and carotene regulation in the fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Fungal Genetics and Biology 49: 398–404. Cover of journal.

Idnurm, A. (2011) Sex determination in the first-described sexual fungus. Eukaryotic Cell 10: 1485-1491. Spotlight article of the month & highlighted in Microbe. Article

Idnurm, A. (2011) Sex and speciation: the paradox that non-recombining DNA promotes recombination. Fungal Biology Reviews 25: 121-127. Article

Ianiri, G., Wright, S.A.I., Castoria, R. and Idnurm, A. (2011) Development of resources for the analysis of gene function in Pucciniomycotina red yeasts. Fungal Genetics and Biology 48: 685-695.

Larson, E.M. and Idnurm, A. (2010) Two origins for the gene encoding α-isopropylmalate synthase in fungi. Public Library of Science ONE 5: e11605. Article

Idnurm, A., Verma, S., and Corrochano, L.M. (2010) A glimpse into the basis of vision in the kingdom Mycota. Fungal Genetics and Biology 47: 881-892.

Idnurm, A. and Heitman, J. (2010) Ferrochelatase is a conserved downstream target of the blue light-sensing White Collar complex in fungi. Microbiology 156: 2393-2407.

Idnurm, A. (2010) A tetrad analysis of the basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Genetics 185: 153-163. Article

Idnurm, A. and Crosson, S. (2009) The photobiology of microbial pathogenesis. Public Library of Science Pathogens 5: e1000470. Article

Ma, L.-J., Ibrahim, A.S., Skory, C., Grabherr, M.G., Burger, G., Butler, M., Elias, M., Idnurm, A., Lang, B.F., Sone, T., Abe, A., Calvo, S.E., Corrochano, L.M., Engels, R., Fu, J., Hansberg, W., Kim, J.-M., Kodira, C.D., Koehrsen, M.J., Liu, B., Miranda-Saavedra, D., O’Leary, S., Ortiz-Castellanos, L., Poulter, R., Rodriguez-Romero, J., Ruiz-Herrera, J., Shen, Y.-Q., Zeng, Q., Galagan, J., Birren, B.W., Cuomo, C.A. and Wickes, B.L. (2009) Genomic analysis of the basal lineage fungus Rhizopus oryzae reveals a whole genome duplication. Public Library of Science Genetics 5: e1000549.

Sanz, C., Rodríguez-Romero, J., Idnurm, A., Christie, J.M., Heitman, J., Corrochano, L.M., and Eslava, A.P. (2009) Phycomyces MADB interacts with MADA to form the primary photoreceptor complex for fungal phototropism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 106: 7095-7100. Cover of journal.

Idnurm, A., Walton, F.J., Floyd, A., Reedy, J.L., and Heitman J. (2009) Identification of ENA1 as a virulence gene of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans through signature-tagged insertional mutagenesis. Eukaryotic Cell 8: 315-326. Spotlight article of the month & highlighted in Microbe.

Idnurm, A., Walton, F.J., Floyd, A., and Heitman J. (2008) Identification of the sex genes in an early diverged fungus. Nature 451: 193-196. Cover of journal.

Fan, W.*, Idnurm, A.*, Breger, J., Mylonakis, E. and Heitman, J. (2007) Eca1, a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase, is involved in stress tolerance and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. Infection and Immunity 75: 3394-3405. * Equal contribution.

Bahn, Y.-S., Xue, C., Idnurm, A., Rutherford, J.C., Heitman, J. and Cardenas, M.C. (2007) Sensing the environment: lessons from fungi. Nature Reviews Microbiology 5: 57-69.

Idnurm, A., Giles, S.S., Perfect, J.R. and Heitman, J. (2007) Peroxisome function regulates growth on glucose in the basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Eukaryotic Cell 6: 60-72. Cover of journal. Article

Hseuh, Y.-P., Idnurm, A. and Heitman, J. (2006) Recombination hotspots flank the Cryptococcus mating-type locus: implications for the evolution of a fungal sex chromosome. Public Library of Science Genetics 2: e184. Article

Walton, F.J., Heitman J. and Idnurm, A. (2006) Conserved elements of the RAM signaling pathway establish cell polarity in the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans in a divergent fashion from other fungi. Molecular Biology of the Cell 17: 3768-3780. Cover of journal. Article

Idnurm, A., Rodríguez-Romero, J., Corrochano, L.M., Sanz, C., Iturriaga, E.A., Eslava, A.P. and Heitman, J. (2006). The Phycomyces madA gene encodes a blue-light photoreceptor for phototropism and other light responses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 103: 4546-4551. Cover of journal.

Tang, R.J., Breger, J., Idnurm, A., Gerik, K.J., Lodge, J.K., Heitman, J., Calderwood, S.B. and Mylonakis, E. (2005) Cryptococcus neoformans gene involved in mammalian pathogenesis identified by a Caenorhabditis elegans progeny-based approach. Infection and Immunity 73: 8219-8225.

Walton, F.J., Idnurm, A. and Heitman J. (2005) Novel gene functions for melanization of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Molecular Microbiology 57: 1381-1396.

Idnurm, A., Bahn, Y.-S., Nielsen, K., Lin, X., Fraser, J.A. and Heitman, J. (2005) Deciphering the model pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Nature Reviews Microbiology 3: 753-764.

Idnurm, A. and Heitman, J. (2005) Light controls growth and development via a conserved pathway in the fungal kingdom. Public Library of Science Biology 3: 615-626. Article

Mylonakis, E., Moreno, R., El Khoury, J., Idnurm, A., Heitman, J., Calderwood, S.B., Ausubel, F.M. and Diener, A. (2005) Galleria mellonella as a model system to study Cryptococcus neoformans Infection and Immunity 73: 3842-3850. Cover of journal.

Mylonakis, E., Idnurm, A., Moreno, R., El Khoury, J., Rottman, J.B., Ausubel, F.M., Heitman, J. and Calderwood, S.B. (2004) Cryptococcus neoformans Kin1 protein kinase homologue, identified through a Caenorhabditis elegans screen, promotes virulence in mammals. Molecular Microbiology 54: 407-419.

Idnurm, A., Reedy, J.L., Nussbaum, J.C. and Heitman, J. (2004) Cryptococcus neoformans virulence gene discovery through insertional mutagenesis. Eukaryotic Cell 3: 420-429.

Idnurm, A. and Howlett, B.J. (2003) Analysis of pathogenicity mutants reveals that repeat-induced point mutations can occur in the Dothideomycete Leptosphaeria maculans. Fungal Genetics and Biology 39: 31-37.

Idnurm, A., Warnecke, D.C., Heinz, E. and Howlett, B.J. (2003) Characterisation of neutral trehalase and UDP-glucose:sterol glucosyltransferase genes from the plant pathogenic fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 62: 305-313.

Idnurm, A., Taylor, J.L., Pedras, M.S.C. and Howlett, B.J. (2003) Small scale functional genomics of the blackleg fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans: analysis of a 38 kb region. Australasian Plant Pathology 32: 511-519.

Boyle, T.H. and Idnurm, A. (2003) Intergeneric hybridization between Schlumbergera and Hatiora Britt. & Rose (Cactaceae). Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 128: 724-730. Cover of journal.

Gyulai, G., Mester, Z., Kiss, J., Szeman, L., Idnurm, A. and Heszky, L. (2003) Somaclonal breeding of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea). Grass and Forage Science 58: 210-214.

Idnurm, A. and Howlett, B.J. (2002) Isocitrate lyase is essential for pathogenicity of the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans to canola (Brassica napus). Eukaryotic Cell 1: 719-724. Highlighted in ASM News. Article

Wilson, L.M., Idnurm, A. and Howlett, B.J. (2002) Characterization of a gene (sp1) encoding a secreted protein from Leptosphaeria maculans, the blackleg pathogen of Brassica napus. Molecular Plant Pathology 3: 487-493.

Zimmer, E.A., Roalson, E.H., Skog, L.E., Boggan, J.K. and Idnurm, A. (2002) Phylogenetic relationships in the Gesnerioideae (Gesneriaceae) based on nrDNA and cpDNA trnL-F and trnE-T spacer region sequences. American Journal of Botany 89: 296-311.

Idnurm, A. and Howlett, B.J. (2001) Characterization of an opsin gene from the ascomycete Leptosphaeria maculans. Genome 44: 167-171.

Boyle, T.H. and Idnurm, A. (2001) Physiology and genetics of self-incompatibility in Echinopsis chamaecereus (Cactaceae). Sexual Plant Reproduction 13: 323-327.

Idnurm, A. and Howlett, B.J. (2001) Pathogenicity genes of phytopathogenic fungi. Molecular Plant Pathology 2: 241-255.

Howlett, B.J., Idnurm, A. and Pedras, M.S.C. (2001) Leptosphaeria maculans, the causal agent of blackleg disease of Brassicas. Fungal Genetics and Biology 33: 1-14.

Mitra, S., Bhowmik, P.C. and Idnurm, A. (2000) Using RAPD markers to identify genetic variation in quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) biotypes. Annals of Applied Biology 136: 253-258.

Commentaries, editorials, non-peer reviewed journals & book chapters

Kwon-Chung, K.J., Fraser, J.A., Doering, T.L., Wang, Z., Janbon, G., Idnurm, A., Bahn, Y.-S. (2014) Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, the etiologic agents of cryptococcosis. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine 4: a019760.

Idnurm, A. (2013) Light sensing in Aspergillus fumigatus highlights the case for establishing new models for fungal photobiology. mBio 4: e00260-13. Article

Idnurm, A. and Cramer, R.A. (2013) Future functions for fungal genes of unknown functions. Fungal Genomics and Biology 3: e112.

Polaino, S. and Idnurm, A. (2012) Sexual pheromones in the fungi. In Witzany (ed.) Biocommunication of Fungi. Springer, pp. 171-188.

Idnurm, A. and Xu, J. (2012) Experimental and natural evolution of the Cryptococcus neoformans and gattii species complex. In Sibley, Howlett and Heitman (eds.). Evolution of Virulence in Eukaryotic Microbes. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 208-230.

Idnurm, A. (2011) New surprises from within the black box of fungal melanization. Virulence 2: 261-263.

Idnurm, A. and Williamson, P.R. (2011) Genetic and genomic approaches to Cryptococcus environmental and host responses. In Heitman, Kozel, Perfect, Casadevall and Kwon-Chung (eds.). Cryptococcus: from human pathogen to model yeast. ASM Press, pp. 127-137.

Idnurm, A., Bahn, Y.-S., Shen, W.-C., Rutherford, J.C. and Mühlschlegel, F.A. (2011) Sensing extracellular signals in Cryptococcus neoformans. In Heitman, Kozel, Perfect, Casadevall and Kwon-Chung (eds.). Cryptococcus: from human pathogen to model yeast. ASM Press, pp. 175-187.

Howlett, B.J., Idnurm, A. and Heitman, J. (2007) Fungal pathogenesis: gene clusters unveiled as secrets within the Ustilago maydis code. Current Biology 17: R87-R90. Article

Idnurm, A., James, T.Y. and Vilgalys, R. (2007) Sex in the rest: mysterious mating in the Chytridiomycota and Zygomycota. In Heitman, Kronstad, Taylor and Casselton (eds.) Sex in Fungi: Molecular Determination and Evolutionary Implications. ASM Press, pp. 407-418.

Idnurm, A. and Heitman, J. (2005) Photosensing fungi: phytochrome in the spotlight. Current Biology 15: R829-R832.

Howlett, B.J., Cozijnsen, A.J., Popa, K., Idnurm, A., Sexton, A.C. and Purwantara, A. (2000) Genetic analysis of the blackleg fungus Leptosphaeria maculans. Acta Horticulturae 539: 55-59.

Gyulai, G., Szemán, L., Idnurm, A., Heszky, L. and Janowszky, J. (2000) Fibre content analysis of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundianacea L.) somaclones. In Soegaard et al. (eds.) Grassland Science in Europe, Vol. 5, pp. 244-246.