1887

Microbiology Society logo

Volume 149, Issue 1

Molecular and genetic characterization of a serotype A isolate Free

Abstract

comprises two varieties ( and ) and four serotypes (A, B, C and D). Fertile isolates of both mating types have been identified in serotypes B, C and D; however, a fertile serotype A strain has not been confirmed, although serotype A α strains will mate with serotype D strains. Preliminary analysis of a recent Italian environmental isolate (IUM 96-2828) suggested that this strain was haploid, serotype A and . In this study, IUM 96-2828 has been characterized in detail. A mating reaction between IUM 96-2828 and H99 (serotype A α) produced abundant spores with an equal distribution of and α progeny, all of which were serotype A. Karyotypic analysis of F spores revealed evidence of recombination, confirming that IUM 96-2828 was fertile. The pheromone gene from IUM 96-2828 was sequenced and found to be most closely related to the serotype D pheromone gene. Phylogenetic comparisons of other genes not linked to mating type also suggested IUM 96-2828 was most closely related to serotype A strains. Biochemical analysis showed that the carbon assimilation profiles of H99 and IUM 96-2828 were identical for 97 % (30/31) of the substrates while isozyme analysis showed 89 % (17/19) identity. Assays of major virulence factors found no difference between H99 and IUM 96-2828. Virulence studies using the mouse model demonstrated that IUM 96-2828 was virulent for mice, although it was less virulent than H99. These data strongly suggest that IUM 96-2828 is a true haploid serotype A isolate that is fertile.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Revised:
  • Published Online:
SGM
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.25921-0
2003-01-01
2022-01-28
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/micro/149/1/mic149_14.html?itemId=/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.25921-0&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Bennett J. E, Kwon-Chung K. J., Howard D. H. 1977; Epidemiologic differences among serotypes of Cryptococcus neoformans . Am J Epidemiol 105:582–586
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Buchanan K. L., Murphy J. W. 1998; What makes Cryptococcus neoformans a pathogen?. Emerg Infect Dis 4:71–83
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Caldwell G. A, Naider F., Becker J. M. 1995; Fungal lipopeptide mating pheromones: a model system for the study of protein prenylation. Microbiol Rev 59:406–422
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Casadevall A., Perfect J. R. 1998 Cryptococcus neoformans pp 9418–438 Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology;
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Clarke D. L, Woodlee G. L, McClelland C. M, Seymour T. S., Wickes B. L. 2001; The Cryptococcus neoformans STE11α gene is similar to other fungal mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) genes but is mating type specific. Mol Microbiol 40:200–213
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Cogliati M, Esposto M. C, Clarke D. L, Wickes B. L., Viviani M. A. 2001; Origin of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans diploid strains. J Clin Microbiol 39:3889–3894
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Cohen J. 1997; The daunting challenge of keeping HIV suppressed. Science 277:32–33
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Cohen J. 1998; AIDS therapy. Failure isn't what it used to be... but neither is success. Science 279:1133–1134
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Cox G. M, McDade H. C, Chen S. C. 8 other authors 2001; Extracellular phospholipase activity is a virulence factor for Cryptococcus neoformans . Mol Microbiol 39:166–175
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Cruz M. C, Cavallo L. M, Gorlach J. M, Cox G, Perfect J. R, Cardenas M. E., Heitman J. 1999; Rapamycin antifungal action is mediated via conserved complexes with FKBP12 and TOR kinase homologs in Cryptococcus neoformans . Mol Cell Biol 19:4101–4112
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Edberg S. C, Chaskes S. J, Alture-Werber E., Singer J. M. 1980; Esculin-based medium for isolation and identification of Cryptococcus neoformans . J Clin Microbiol 12:332–335
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Evans E. E. 1949; An immunologic comparison of twelve strains of Cryptococcus neoformans ( Torula histolytica . Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 71:644–646
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Evans E. E. 1950; The antigenic composition of Cryptococcus neoformans . I. A serologic classification by means of the capsular agglutinations. J Immunol 64:423–430
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Evans E. E., Kessel J. F. 1951; The antigenic composition of Cryptococcus neoformans . II. Serologic studies with capsular polysaccharide. J Immunol 67:109–114
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Franzot S. P, Salkin I. F., Casadevall A. 1999; Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii : separate varietal status for Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A isolates. J Clin Microbiol 37:838–840
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Garcia-Martos P, Marin P, Hernandez-Molina J. M, Garcia-Agudo L, Aoufi S., Mira J. 2001; Extracellular enzymatic activity in 11 Cryptococcus species. Mycopathologia 150:1–4
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Hamilton A. J., Goodley J. 1996; Virulence factors of Cryptococcus neoformans . Curr Top Med Mycol 7:19–42
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Heitman J, Casadevall A, Lodge J. K., Perfect J. R. 1999; The Cryptococcus neoformans genome sequencing project. Mycopathologia 148:1–7
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Hironaga M, Ikeda R, Fukazawa Y., Watanabe S. 1983; Mating types and serotypes of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated in Japan. Sabouraudia 21:73–78
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Jong S. C, Bulmer G. S., Ruiz A. 1982; Serologic grouping and sexual compatibility of airborne Cryptococcus neoformans . Mycopathologia 79:185–188
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Kozel T. R. 1995; Virulence factors of Cryptococcus neoformans . Trends Microbiol 3:295–299
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Kwon-Chung K. J. 1975; A new genus, Filobasidiella , the perfect state of Cryptococcus neoformans . Mycologia 67:1197–1200
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Kwon-Chung K. J. 1976; Morphogenesis of Filobasidiella neoformans , the sexual state of Cryptococcus neoformans . Mycologia 68:821–833
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Kwon-Chung K. J. 1987; Filobasidiaceae–a taxonomic survey. Stud Mycol 30:75–85
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Kwon-Chung K. J., Bennett J. E. 1978; Distribution of α and a mating types of Cryptococcus neoformans among natural and clinical isolates. Am J Epidemiol 108:337–340
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Kwon-Chung K. J., Bennett J. E. 1992 Medical Mycology Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger;
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Kwon-Chung K. J, Bennett J. E., Rhodes J. C. 1982a; Taxonomic studies on Filobasidiella species and their anamorphs. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 48:25–38
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Kwon-Chung K. J, Polacheck I., Popkin T. J. 1982b; Melanin-lacking mutants of Cryptococcus neoformans and their virulence for mice. J Bacteriol 150:1414–1421
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Kwon-Chung K. J, Edman J. C., Wickes B. L. 1992; Genetic association of mating types and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans . Infect Immun 60:602–605
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Lengeler K. B, Wang P, Cox G. M, Perfect J. R., Heitman J. 2000; Identification of the MAT a mating-type locus of Cryptococcus neoformans reveals a serotype A MAT a strain thought to have been extinct. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97:14455–14460
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Lengeler K. B, Cox G. M., Heitman J. 2001; Serotype AD strains of Cryptococcus neoformans are diploid or aneuploid and are heterozygous at the mating-type locus. Infect Immun 69:115–122
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Madrenys N, De Vroey C, Raes-Wuytack C., Torres-Rodriguez J. M. 1993; Identification of the perfect state of Cryptococcus neoformans from 195 clinical isolates including 84 from AIDS patients. Mycopathologia 123:65–68
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Matsushita S. 2000; Current status and future issues in the treatment of HIV-1 infection. Int J Hematol 72:20–27
     [Google Scholar]
  34. McClelland C. M, Fu J, Woodlee G. L, Seymour T. S., Wickes B. L. 2002; Isolation and characterization of the Cryptococcus neoformans MAT a pheromone gene. Genetics 160:935–947
     [Google Scholar]
  35. Miskin A., Edberg S. C. 1978; Esculin hydrolysis reaction by Escherichia coli . J Clin Microbiol 7:251–254
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Mitchell T. G., Perfect J. R. 1995; Cryptococcosis in the era of AIDS–100 years after the discovery of Cryptococcus neoformans . Clin Microbiol Rev 8:515–548
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Pinner R. W, Hajjeh R. A., Powderly W. G. 1995; Prospects for preventing cryptococcosis in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Clin Infect Dis 21 :Suppl. 1S103–S107
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Piot P, Bartos M, Ghys P. D, Walker N., Schwartlander B. 2001; The global impact of HIV/AIDS. Nature 410:968–973
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Price M. F, Wilkinson I. D., Gentry L. O. 1982; Plate method for detection of phospholipase activity in Candida albicans . Sabouraudia 20:7–14
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Rhodes J. C, Polacheck I., Kwon-Chung K. J. 1982; Phenoloxidase activity and virulence in isogenic strains of Cryptococcus neoformans . Infect Immun 36:1175–1184
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Schonheyder H., Stenderup A. 1982; Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from pigeon manure on two media inducing pigment formation. Sabouraudia 20:193–197
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Vidotto V, Leone R, Sinicco A, Ito-kuwa S., Criseo G. 1998; Comparison of phospholipase production in Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from AIDS patients and bird droppings. Mycopathologia 142:71–76
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Viviani M. A, Swinne D, Kouzmanov A. 18 other authors 2000; Survey of cryptococcosis in Europe. The ECCM working group report. Rev Iberoam Micol 17:S115
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Viviani M. A, Esposto M. C, Cogliati M, Montagna M. T., Wickes B. L. 2001; Isolation of a Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A MAT a strain from the Italian environment. Med Mycol 39:383–386
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Vogel R. A. 1966; The indirect fluorescent antibody test for the detection of antibody in human cryptococcal disease. J Infect Dis 116:573–580
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Wickes B. L, Moore T. D., Kwon-Chung K. J. 1994; Comparison of the electrophoretic karyotypes and chromosomal location of ten genes in the two varieties of Cryptococcus neoformans . Microbiology 140:543–550
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Wickes B. L, Mayorga M. E, Edman U., Edman J. C. 1996; Dimorphism and haploid fruiting in Cryptococcus neoformans : association with the α-mating type. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 93:7327–7331
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Wills E. A, Roberts I. S, Del Poeta M, Rivera J, Casadevall A, Cox G. M., Perfect J. R. 2001; Identification and characterization of the Cryptococcus neoformans phosphomannose isomerase-encoding gene, MAN1 , and its impact on pathogenicity. Mol Microbiol 40:610–620
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Xu J, Vilgalys R., Mitchell T. G. 2000; Multiple gene genealogies reveal recent dispersion and hybridization in the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans . Mol Ecol 9:1471–1481
     [Google Scholar]
  50. Yan Z, Li X., Xu J. 2002; Geographic distribution of mating type alleles of Cryptococcus neoformans in four areas of the United States. J Clin Microbiol 40:965–972
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Yue C, Cavallo L. M, Alspaugh J. A, Wang P, Cox G. M, Perfect J. R., Heitman J. 1999; The STE12alpha homolog is required for haploid filamentation but largely dispensable for mating and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans . Genetics 153:1601–1615
     [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.25921-0
Loading
Molecular and genetic characterization of a serotype A MATaCryptococcus neoformans isolate
Microbiology 149, 131 (2003); https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.25921-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.25921-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.25921-0
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Most cited this month Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error