MTOR and infection: In support of the link between fungal melanin and mTOR/HIF-1α signaling, infection of macrophages with melanin-coated live ΔrodA/pksP conidia restored both p-p70S6K (Fig. 4h) and HIF-1α translocation to the nucleus (Fig. 4e) to levels comparable with those obtained after infection with the Δku80 strain.