Coccidioides posadasii produces melanin in vitro and during infection

Using techniques developed to study melanization in other fungi, we demonstrate that Coccidioidcs posadasii arthroconidia, spherules and endospores produce melanin or melanin-like compounds in vitro and tissue forms synthesize pigment in vivo. Since melanin is an important virulence factor in other pathogenic fungi, it may affect the pathogenesis of coccidioidomycosis. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.