J Bacteriol Virol.  2012 Jun;42(2):152-155. 10.4167/jbv.2012.42.2.152.

Molecular Typing of Clinical Cryptococcus gattii Isolates in Korea

• Hwang SM

• KMID: 1717685
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4167/jbv.2012.42.2.152

Abstract

Cryptococcus gattii causes life-threatening yeast infection in the pulmonary and central nervous systems of humans and animals, and traditionally has been considered to restrict into the tropical and subtropical areas. Despite rare incidence of cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii in Korea, three strains of C. gattii isolated from cryptococcosis patients between 1993 and 2010 were identified. To determine the genetic diversity, 3 strains of C. gattii were typed using PCR fingerprinting with primer M13 and the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of orotidine monophosphosphate pyrophosphorylase (URA5) gene. All isolates were identified as serotype B and MATalpha mating type. The molecular types of each strain, on the other hand, turned out to be distinct belonging to VGI, VGII or III types, respectively. Although the travel histories of the patients were not available, clinical C. gattii strains isolated in Korea may represent the diverse molecular types existing worldwide.

Keyword

Cryptococcus gattii; Molecular type; PCR-fingerprinting

MeSH Terms

Animals
Central Nervous System
Cryptococcosis
Cryptococcus
Cryptococcus gattii
Dermatoglyphics
Genetic Variation
Hand
Humans
Incidence
Korea
Molecular Typing
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Sprains and Strains
Uridine
Yeasts
Uridine

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 PCR-fingerprint patterns obtained with the primer M13 of Cryptococcus gattii strains from Korea and the reference strains of molecular type. Lanes: 1-4: C. gattii reference strains VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV; lanes: 5-7: Clinical C. gattii strains C4 (VGI), C52 (VGIII), and C89 (VGII). M: molecular marker (100 bp ladder)

• 

  Figure 2 URA 5-RFLP profiles obtained after double digestion with the restriction enzymes Hhal and Sau96l of clinical C. gattii strains from Korea and the reference strains of molecular type. Lanes: 1-4: C. gattii reference strains VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV; lanes: 5-7: Clinical C. gattii strains C4 (VGI), C52 (VGIII), and C89 (VGII). M: molecular marker (100 bp ladder).

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