However, in our study, the zbp1Δ mutant showed full virulence as the wild-type strain in a murine inhalation model of cryptococcosis; this may be because there may be other zinc-binding proteins in Cryptococcus, and one or some of the zinc-binding proteins compensate for the defects in the zinc ion binding caused by the disruption of the ZBP1 gene. This evidence concerns the gene ZBP1 and cryptococcosis.