Office: 843-792-8381
Lab: 843-792-8764
Fax: 843-792-8565
Email: delpoeta@musc.edu
BSB-512A
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Research Interests

The Del Poeta laboratory studies the function of sphingolipids involved in mediating signaling pathways and fungal pathogenesis. We have particular interests in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which the fungal enzyme inositol-phosphoryl ceramide synthase (Ipc1) enables fungal organisms to cause disease. Questions related to this area of research are addressed by biochemical, molecular biology and patho-biological studies.

Selected Publications

• Rittershaus PC, Kechichian T, Allegood J, Merrill AH Jr, Hennig M, Luberto C, and Del Poeta, M. (2006) Glucosylceramide synthase is an essential regulator of pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Clin. Invest., 116:1651-1659.
• Shea JM, Kechichian TB, Luberto C, and Del Poeta, M. (2006) The cryptococcal enzyme inositol phosphosphingolipid-phospholipase C (ISC1) confers resistance to the antifungal effects of macrophages and promotes fungal dissemination to the central nervous system. Infect. Immun., 74:5977-5988.
• Shea J and Del Poeta, M. (2006) Lipid signaling in pathogenic fungi. Current Opinion in Microbiology., 9:1-7.
• Shea J, Henry J, and Del Poeta, M. (2006) Lipid metabolism in Cryptococcus neoformans. FEMS Yeast Research., 6:469-479.
• McQuiston T, Haller C., and Del Poeta, M. (2006) Sphingolipids as targets for microbial infections. MRMC, 6:671-680.
• Heung, LJ, Luberto, C and Del Poeta, M. (2006) The role of sphingolipids in microbial pathogenesis. Infect. Immun., 74:28-39.
• Mare, L., Iatta, R., Montagna, M.T., Luberto, C. and Del Poeta, M. (2005) Activation of App1 transcription by Ipc1-DAG is regulated by ATF2 transcription factor in Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Biol. Chem., 280:36055-36064.
• Heung, L., Kaiser, A.E., Luberto, C. and Del Poeta, M. (2005) The role and mechanism of DAG-Pkc1 signaling in melanogenesis by Cryptococcus neoformans.  J. Biol. Chem., 280:28547-28555.

• Heung, L. and Del Poeta M. (2005). Unlocking the DEAD-box: a key to cryptococcal virulence? J. Clin. Invest., 115:593-595.

• Heung, L., Luberto, C., Plowden, A., Hannun, Y. and Del Poeta M. (2004) The sphingolipid pathway regulates protein kinase C (Pkc1) through the formation of diacylglycerol (DAG) in Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Biol. Chem. , 279: 21144-21153.

• Del Poeta, M. (2004) Role of phagocytosis in the virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. Eukaryotic Cell, 3:1067-1075.
• Luberto, C., Martinez-Marino, B., Taraskiewicz, D., Bolanos, B., Chitano, P., Toffaletti, D.L., Cox, G.M., Perfect, J.R., Hannun, Y.A., Balish, E., and Del Poeta, M. (2003) Identification of App1 as a regulator of phagocytosis and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. J. Clin. Invest., 112(7): 1080-1094.
• Cruz, M.C., Goldstein, A.L., Blankenship, J.R., Del Poeta, M., Davis, D., Cardenas, M.A., Perfect, J.R., McCusker, J.H. and Heitman, J. (2002) Calcineurin is essential for survival during membrane stress in Candida albicans. EMBO J., 21(4): 546-559.
• Wills, E.A., Roberts, I.S., Del Poeta, M., Rivera, J., Casadevall, A., Cox, G.M., and Perfect, J.R. (2001) Identification and characterization of the Cryptococcus neoformans phosphomannose isomerase-encoding gene, MAN1, and its impact on pathogenicity. Mol. Microbiol. 40(3): 610-620.
• Luberto, C., Toffaletti, D.L., Wills, E.A., Tucker, S.C., Casadevall, A., Perfect, J.R., and Del Poeta, M. (2001) Roles for inositol-phosphoryl ceramide synthase 1 (Ipc1) in pathogenesis of C. neoformans. Genes & Dev. 15: 201-212.
• Wills, E.A., Redinbo, M.R., Perfect, J.R., and Del Poeta, M. (2000) New potential targets for antifungal development. Emerging Therapeutic Targets 4: 265-296.
• Del Poeta, M., Cruz, M.C., Cardenas, M.E., Perfect, J.R., and Heitman, J. (2000) Synergistic antifungal activities of bafilomycin A(1), fluconazole, and the pneumocandin MK-0991/Caspofungin acetate (L-743,873) with calcineurin inhibitors FK506 and L-685,818 against Cryptococcus neoformans. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 44(3): 739-746.
• Cruz, M.C., Del Poeta, M., Wang, P., Wenger, R., Zenke, G., Quesniaux, V.F., Movva, N.R., Perfect, J.R., Cardenas, M.E., and Heitman, J. (2000) Immunosuppressive and nonimmunosuppressive cyclosporine analogs are toxic to the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans via cyclophilin-dependent inhibition of calcineurin. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 44(1): 143-149.
• Del Poeta, M., Toffaletti, D.L., Rude, T.H., Dykstra, C.C., Heitman, J., and Perfect, J.R. (1999) Topoisomerase I is essential in Cryptococcus neoformans: Role in pathobiology and as an antifungal target. Genetics 152: 167-178.
• Del Poeta, M., Toffaletti, D.L., Rude, T.H., Sparks, S.D., and Perfect, J.R. (1999) Cryptococcus neoformans differential gene expression detected in vitro and in vivo with green fluorescent protein. Infect. Immun. 67(4): 1812-1820.
• Cardenas, M.E., Cruz, M.C., Del Poeta, M., Chung, N., Perfect, J.R., and Heitman, J. (1999) Antifungal activities of antineoplastic agents: Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to study drug action. Clinical Microbiol. Rev. 12(4):583-611.