Project description:The basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is an important human fungal pathogen. Two varieties, C. neoformans var. neoformans and C. neoformans var. gattii, have been identified. Both are heterothallic with two mating types, MATa and MATalpha. Some rare isolates are self-fertile and are considered occasional diploid or aneuploid strains. In the present study, 133 isolates, mostly from Italian patients, were investigated to detect the presence of diploid strains in the Igiene Università Milano culture collection. All of the diploid isolates were further investigated by different methods to elucidate their origins. Forty-nine diploid strains were identified by flow cytometry. PCR fingerprinting using the (GACA)(4) primer showed that the diploid state was associated with two specific genotypes identified as VN3 and VN4. Determination of mating type on V8 juice medium confirmed that the majority of the strains were sterile. PCR and dot blotting using the two pheromone genes (MFa and MFalpha) as probes identified 36 of the 49 diploid isolates as MATa/alpha. The results of pheromone gene sequencing showed that two allelic MFalpha genes exist and are distinct for serotypes A and D. In contrast, the MFa gene sequence was conserved in both serotype alleles. Amplification of serotype-specific STE20 alleles demonstrated that the diploid strains contained one mating locus inherited from a serotype A parent and one inherited from a serotype D parent. The present results suggest that diploid isolates may be common among the C. neoformans population and that in Italy and other European countries serotype A and D populations are not genetically isolated but are able to recombine by sexual reproduction.
Project description:A singleplex PCR assay using a single primer pair targeting the putative sugar transporter gene was developed here to distinguish Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii, Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, and Cryptococcus gattii according to the distinct size of the amplicon. The interspecies and intravarietal hybrids were also characterized on the basis of distinct combined profiles of amplicons. This PCR assay is a rapid, simple, and reliable approach suitable for laboratory diagnoses and large-scale epidemiologic studies.
Project description:Cryptococcus neoformans serotypes A and D are responsible for the overwhelming majority of infections in patients with AIDS. The genetic relationship between the serotypes is poorly understood, but there are significant differences in the epidemiology and clinical presentation of serotype A and D infections. We evaluated the genetic relationship between reference C. neoformans strains belonging to serotypes A and D by analyzing their URA5 sequences and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) with the C. neoformans repetitive element 1 (CNRE-1) probe. The results were compared to those previously obtained for isolates from Brazil and New York City by the same typing methods, and dendrograms were generated. Serotype A and D strains produced distinct RFLP patterns consistent with their separation into two major clusters in the dendrogram generated on the basis of RFLP data. Similarly, serotype A and D strains clustered independently of the basis of the nucleotide sequences of their URA5 genes. Pairwise comparisons revealed average numbers of nucleotide differences within serotypes A and D of 3.0 +/- 1.7 and 7.2 +/- 3.4, respectively (P < 0.0001), and between serotypes A and D of 41.9 +/- 2.7. In summary, our results indicate phylogenetic differences between the two serotypes of C. neoformans var. neoformans and suggest that these serotypes could probably be considered different varieties of C. neoformans.
Project description:Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans (serotype D) represents about 30% of the clinical isolates in Europe and is present less frequently in the other continents. It is the prevalent etiological agent in primary cutaneous cryptococcosis as well as in cryptococcal skin lesions of disseminated cryptococcosis. Very little is known about the genotypic diversity of this Cryptococcus subtype. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotypic diversity among a set of clinical and environmental C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates and to evaluate the relationship between genotypes, geographical origin and clinical manifestations. A total of 83 globally collected C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates from Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Thailand, Japan, Colombia, and the USA, recovered from different sources (primary and secondary cutaneous cryptococcosis, disseminated cryptococcosis, the environment, and animals), were included in the study. All isolates were confirmed to belong to genotype VNIV by molecular typing and they were further investigated by MLST analysis. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic as well as network analysis strongly suggested the existence of a recombinant rather than a clonal population structure. Geographical origin and source of isolation were not correlated with a specific MLST genotype. The comparison with a set of outgroup C. neoformans var. grubii isolates provided clear evidence that the two varieties have different population structures.
Project description:Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans is the second most prevalent agent of cryptococcosis in central Europe. Infections mostly present with localized skin and disseminated infections. Previous studies did not find these presentations to be determined by the fungal genotype as detected by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). However, phenotypic fungal traits may impact clinical presentation. Here, we studied the growth and virulence factors of C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates from disseminated and localized infections and an environmental isolate. We used coincubation with Acanthamoeba castellanii and the Galleria mellonella infection model to identify phenotypic characteristics potentially associated with clinical presentation. Clinical isolates of C. neoformans var. neoformans present a substantial phenotypic variability. Median survival of G. mellonella varied between 6 and 14 days. C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates from disseminated infections showed stronger melanization and larger capsules. They demonstrated superior uptake into an amoeba and increased cytotoxicity for the amoeba. Differences of strains from localized and disseminated infections in coincubation with amoeba are in line with the importance of phagocytes in the pathogenesis of disseminated cryptococcosis. Phenotypic traits and non-vertebrate infection models may help understand the virulence potential of C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates.
Project description:To identify the genome-wide transcriptional changes that occur throughout germination of C. neoformans spores, we conducted a time-course microarray experiment spanning six timepoints to generate a temporal expression pattern for each known gene. Spores were placed in rich medium and allowed to germinate for 10 hours, when they start to replicate as yeast. Each time point was flash frozen in liquid nitrogen and RNA was harvested for each time point at the same time. Microarray hybridizations were conducted in a reference pool design, where each time point was mixed together in equal amounts to make a reference pool sample. Then each time point was hybrdized against the reference pool. Characterization of the genes and pathways that are regulated during germination of this ubiquitous fungal pathogen will allow us to better understand how infectious spores resume vegetative growth, a process that likely is critical for interaction between C. neoformans and a host.
Project description:To identify the genome-wide transcriptional changes that occur throughout sexual developmen of C. neoformans, we conducted a time-course microarray experiment spanning six developmental stages to generate a temporal expression pattern for each known gene. C. neoformans a x α co-cultures were grown under sexual development conditions (V8 agar), and RNA was harvested at 0.5, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-mixing. Time points were chosen based on microscopic identification of cell types of interest: fusants, filaments (early and late), basidia, and spores (Figure 1B). Microarray hybridizations were conducted in a loop design, with each sample serving as a reference for the following time point in the experiment (e.g. 0.5 hours vs. 6 hours, 6 hours vs. 12 hours, etc).