Analysis of fungal flora in indoor dust by ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, quantitative PCR, and culture.

ABSTRACT: In recent years increasing attention has been given to the potential health effects of fungal exposure in indoor environments. We used large-scale sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA to describe the mycoflora of two office buildings over the four seasons. DNA sequencing was complemented by cultivation, ergosterol determination, and quantitative PCR analyses. Sequences of 1,339 clones were clustered into 394 nonredundant fungal operational taxonomical units containing sequences from 18 fungal subclasses. The observed flora differed markedly from that recovered by cultivation, the major differences being the near absence of several typical indoor mold genera such as Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. and a high prevalence of basidiomycetes

SUBMITTER: Pitkaranta M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2223223 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature