β1,2-xylosyltransferase Cxt1p is solely responsible for xylose incorporation into Cryptococcus neoformans glycosphingolipids

The Man alpha 1,3(Xyl beta 1,2)Man alpha structural motif is common to both capsular polysaccharides of Cryptococcus neoformans and to cryptococcal glycosphingolipids. Comparative analysis of glycosphingolipid structural profiles in wild-type and mutant strains showed that the Xyl beta 1,2-transferase (Cxt1p) that participates in capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis is also the sole transferase responsible for adding xylose to C. neoformans glycosphingolipids.