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Previous Volume 340:395 February 4, 1999 Number 5 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: Cryptococcus neoformans produces a phenol oxidase (laccase) that can synthesize melanin from a variety of substrates. A clinical isolate of C. neoformans was grown in the presence of levodopa and then treated with detergent and hydrogen chloride to isolate melanin "ghosts" of yeast cells.¹ The melanin particles were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Figure 1 shows an image of two cryptococcal melanin "ghosts." The top cell is budding. We think the figure shows a striking similarity to a rubber duck.

View larger version (94K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1. Scanning Electron Micrograph of Purified Melanin from Cryptococcus neoformans.

 

Joshua D. Nosanchuk, M.D.
Arturo Casadevall, M.D., . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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