A trade-off between proliferation and defense in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus at alkaline pH is controlled by the transcription factor GAT201.

proliferation are poorly understood, as they are distinct from other model yeasts at the level of cell cycle and morphogenesis. In this work, we study this trade off under host-like alkaline conditions that restrict fungal growth. We identify a GATA-like transcription factor, Gat201, and its target, Gat204, that positively regulate capsule production and negatively regulate proliferation. The GAT201 pathway is conserved within pathogenic fungi but lost in other model yeasts. Together our findings reveal how a fungal pathogen regulates the balance between defense and proliferation and highlight the need for improved understanding of proliferation in non-model systems.