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Patiño LH, Muñoz M, Ramírez AL, Vélez N, Escandón P, Parra-Giraldo CM, Ramírez JD. A Landscape of the Genomic Structure of Cryptococcus neoformans in Colombian Isolates. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9020135. [PMID: 36836249 PMCID: PMC9959405 DOI: 10.3390/jof9020135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans species complexes are recognized as environmental fungi responsible for lethal meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. Despite the vast knowledge about the epidemiology and genetic diversity of this fungus in different regions of the world, more studies are necessary to comprehend the genomic profiles across South America, including Colombia, considered to be the second country with the highest number of Cryptococcosis. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the genomic architecture of 29 Colombian C. neoformans isolates and evaluated the phylogenetic relationship of these strains with publicly available C. neoformans genomes. The phylogenomic analysis showed that 97% of the isolates belonged to the VNI molecular type and the presence of sub-lineages and sub-clades. We evidenced a karyotype without changes, a low number of genes with copy number variations, and a moderate number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Additionally, a difference in the number of SNPs between the sub-lineages/sub-clades was observed; some were involved in crucial fungi biological processes. Our study demonstrated the intraspecific divergence of C. neoformans in Colombia. These findings provide evidence that Colombian C. neoformans isolates do not probably require significant structural changes as adaptation mechanisms to the host. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the whole genome sequence of Colombian C. neoformans isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luz Helena Patiño
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Marina Muñoz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Angie Lorena Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Nórida Vélez
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28001 Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Escandón
- Grupo de Microbiología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Claudia-Marcela Parra-Giraldo
- Unidad de Proteómica y Micosis Humanas, Grupo de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Departamento de Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28001 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Biotecnología-UR (CIMBIUR), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +1-(332)-2344161
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Hong N, Chen M, Xu J. Molecular Markers Reveal Epidemiological Patterns and Evolutionary Histories of the Human Pathogenic Cryptococcus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:683670. [PMID: 34026667 PMCID: PMC8134695 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.683670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pathogenic Cryptococcus species are the main agents of fungal meningitis in humans and the causes of other diseases collectively called cryptococcosis. There are at least eight evolutionary divergent lineages among these agents, with different lineages showing different geographic and/or ecological distributions. In this review, we describe the main strain typing methods that have been used to analyze the human pathogenic Cryptococcus and discuss how molecular markers derived from the various strain typing methods have impacted our understanding of not only cryptococcal epidemiology but also its evolutionary histories. These methods include serotyping, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, electrophoretic karyotyping, random amplified polymorphic DNA, restriction fragment length polymorphism, PCR-fingerprinting, amplified fragment length polymorphism, multilocus microsatellite typing, single locus and multilocus sequence typing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, and whole genome sequencing. The major findings and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed. Together, while controversies remain, these strain typing methods have helped reveal (i) the broad phylogenetic pattern among these agents, (ii) the centers of origins for several lineages and their dispersal patterns, (iii) the distributions of genetic variation among geographic regions and ecological niches, (iv) recent hybridization among several lineages, and (v) specific mutations during infections within individual patients. However, significant challenges remain. Multilocus sequence typing and whole genome sequencing are emerging as the gold standards for continued strain typing and epidemiological investigations of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hong
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Mycology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Ergin Ç, Şengül M, Aksoy L, Döğen A, Sun S, Averette AF, Cuomo CA, Seyedmousavi S, Heitman J, Ilkit M. Cryptococcus neoformans Recovered From Olive Trees ( Olea europaea) in Turkey Reveal Allopatry With African and South American Lineages. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:384. [PMID: 31788454 PMCID: PMC6856141 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus species are life-threatening human fungal pathogens that cause cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in both immunocompromised and healthy hosts. The natural environmental niches of Cryptococcus include pigeon (Columba livia) guano, soil, and a variety of tree species such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Ceratonia siliqua, Platanus orientalis, and Pinus spp. Genetic and genomic studies of extensive sample collections have provided insights into the population distribution and composition of different Cryptococcus species in geographic regions around the world. However, few such studies examined Cryptococcus in Turkey. We sampled 388 Olea europaea (olive) and 132 E. camaldulensis trees from seven locations in coastal and inland areas of the Aegean region of Anatolian Turkey in September 2016 to investigate the distribution and genetic diversity present in the natural Cryptococcus population. We isolated 84 Cryptococcus neoformans strains (83 MATα and 1 MAT a) and 3 Cryptococcus deneoformans strains (all MATα) from 87 (22.4% of surveyed) O. europaea trees; a total of 32 C. neoformans strains were isolated from 32 (24.2%) of the E. camaldulensis trees, all of which were MATα. A statistically significant difference was observed in the frequency of C. neoformans isolation between coastal and inland areas (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the MAT a C. neoformans isolate was fertile in laboratory crosses with VNI and VNB MATα tester strains and produced robust hyphae, basidia, and basidiospores, thus suggesting potential sexual reproduction in the natural population. Sequencing analyses of the URA5 gene identified at least five different genotypes among the isolates. Population genetics and genomic analyses revealed that most of the isolates in Turkey belong to the VNBII lineage of C. neoformans, which is predominantly found in southern Africa; these isolates are part of a distinct minor clade within VNBII that includes several isolates from Zambia and Brazil. Our study provides insights into the geographic distribution of different C. neoformans lineages in the Mediterranean region and highlights the need for wider geographic sampling to gain a better understanding of the natural habitats, migration, epidemiology, and evolution of this important human fungal pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağri Ergin
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Şengül
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Levent Aksoy
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Aylin Döğen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey
| | - Sheng Sun
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Anna F Averette
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Christina A Cuomo
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Seyedmojtaba Seyedmousavi
- Microbiology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Macit Ilkit
- Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey
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Samarasinghe H, Xu J. Hybrids and hybridization in the Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 66:245-255. [PMID: 30342094 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The basidiomycetous yeasts of the Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii species complexes (CNSC and CGSC respectively) are the causative agents of cryptococcosis, a set of life-threatening diseases affecting the central nervous system, lungs, skin, and other body sites of humans and other mammals. Both the CNSC and CGSC can be subdivided into varieties, serotypes, molecular types, and lineages based on structural variations, molecular characteristics and genetic sequences. Hybridization between the haploid lineages within and between the two species complexes is known to occur in natural and clinical settings, giving rise to intraspecific and interspecific diploid/aneuploid hybrid strains. Since their initial discovery in 1977, cryptococcal hybrids have been increasingly discovered in both clinical and environmental settings with over 30% of all cryptococcal infections in some regions of Europe being caused by hybrid strains. This review summarizes the major findings to date on cryptococcal hybrids, including their possible origins, prevalence, genomic profiles and phenotypic characteristics. Our analyses suggest that CNSC and CGSC can be an excellent model system for studying fungal hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himeshi Samarasinghe
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Jianping Xu
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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Pakshir K, Fakhim H, Vaezi A, Meis JF, Mahmoodi M, Zomorodian K, Javidnia J, Ansari S, Hagen F, Badali H. Molecular epidemiology of environmental Cryptococcus species isolates based on amplified fragment length polymorphism. J Mycol Med 2018; 28:599-605. [PMID: 30322827 DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Revised: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cryptococcosis is a major opportunistic fungal infection caused by members of the genus Cryptococcus, mainly those belonging to the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complexes. Here, we report a comprehensive molecular epidemiological study of the environmental distribution of Cryptococcus isolates in Shiraz, Iran with review of litreature. METHOD A total of 406 samples were obtained from Eucalyptus trees and 139 samples from pigeon droppings. Cryptococcus species identification and genotyping were performed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting sequencing and sequencing of the ITS rDNA region. RESULTS Majority of the isolates belonged to the Naganishia taxon (n=69) including N. albida (formerly C. albidus, n=62), N. globosa (formerly C. saitoi, n=4), N. adeliensis (formerly C. adeliensis, n=2), N. diffluens (formerly C. diffluens, n=1), and the identified C. neoformans isolates (n=25) belonged to genotype AFLP1/VNI (n=22) and AFLP1B/VNII (n=3). CONCLUSION More research efforts should be employed to isolate C. gattii species complex from environmental niches in Iran and provide additional evidence related to novel molecular types.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Pakshir
- Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - H Fakhim
- Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - A Vaezi
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - J F Meis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ), Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - M Mahmoodi
- Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - K Zomorodian
- Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - J Javidnia
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - S Ansari
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - F Hagen
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ), Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Mycology, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H Badali
- Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Invasive Fungi Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
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Dou H, Wang H, Xie S, Chen X, Xu Z, Xu Y. Molecular characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from the environment in Beijing, China. Med Mycol 2018; 55:737-747. [PMID: 28431114 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myx026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular type of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans in Beijing was not clear. Our study aims to reveal the molecular characterization of C. neoformans complex from environment in Beijing, China. A total of 435 samples of pigeon droppings from 11 different homes in Beijing were collected from August to November in 2015. Pigeon droppings were inoculated onto caffeic acid cornmeal agar (CACA) to screen C. neoformans complex. Bruker Biotyper matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was performed for species identification. Serotype and mating type was determined by specific primers. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of URA5 (URA5-RFLP) were applied to genotype. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was done for further identification and sequence type (ST) determination. Altogether, 81 isolates of C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI were recognized from 435 pigeon droppings in this study. The positive rate for C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI from pigeon droppings in different homes varied from 5.0% to 52.6%, the average was 20.2%. All of these cryptococcal strains were serotype A, MATα. They were genotyped as VNI by URA5-RFLP and were confirmed by MLST. No other molecular types of C. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolates were isolated. Their STs were identified as ST 31 (n = 54, 66.7%), followed by ST 53 (n = 10), ST 191 (n = 8), ST 5 (n = 5), ST 57 (n = 3), and ST 38 (n = 1). We concluded that not only clinical but also environmental isolates of C. neoformans need to be investigated more deeply and more extensively. The virulence difference between ST 5 and ST 31 need to be explored in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongtao Dou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huizhu Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Di-Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shaowei Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinxin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhipeng Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yingchun Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Santos JRA, Holanda RA, Frases S, Bravim M, Araujo GDS, Santos PC, Costa MC, Ribeiro MJA, Ferreira GF, Baltazar LM, Miranda AS, Oliveira DB, Santos CMA, Fontes ACL, Gouveia LF, Resende-Stoianoff MA, Abrahão JS, Teixeira AL, Paixão TA, Souza DG, Santos DA. Fluconazole alters the polysaccharide capsule of Cryptococcus gattii and leads to distinct behaviors in murine Cryptococcosis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112669. [PMID: 25392951 PMCID: PMC4231059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus gattii is an emergent human pathogen. Fluconazole is commonly used for treatment of cryptococcosis, but the emergence of less susceptible strains to this azole is a global problem and also the data regarding fluconazole-resistant cryptococcosis are scarce. We evaluate the influence of fluconazole on murine cryptococcosis and whether this azole alters the polysaccharide (PS) from cryptococcal cells. L27/01 strain of C. gattii was cultivated in high fluconazole concentrations and developed decreased drug susceptibility. This phenotype was named L27/01F, that was less virulent than L27/01 in mice. The physical, structural and electrophoretic properties of the PS capsule of L27/01F were altered by fluconazole. L27/01F presented lower antiphagocytic properties and reduced survival inside macrophages. The L27/01F did not affect the central nervous system, while the effect in brain caused by L27/01 strain began after only 12 hours. Mice infected with L27/01F presented lower production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, with increased cellular recruitment in the lungs and severe pulmonary disease. The behavioral alterations were affected by L27/01, but no effects were detected after infection with L27/01F. Our results suggest that stress to fluconazole alters the capsule of C. gattii and influences the clinical manifestations of cryptococcosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julliana Ribeiro Alves Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Assunção Holanda
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Susana Frases
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia (LABIO), Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização e Qualidade Industrial (INMETRO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mayara Bravim
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Glauber de S. Araujo
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia (LABIO), Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização e Qualidade Industrial (INMETRO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Campi Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marliete Carvalho Costa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Maira Juliana Andrade Ribeiro
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Gabriella Freitas Ferreira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ludmila Matos Baltazar
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Aline Silva Miranda
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Danilo Bretas Oliveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Carolina Maria Araújo Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alide Caroline Lima Fontes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ludmila Ferreira Gouveia
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Jonatas Santos Abrahão
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Antônio Lúcio Teixeira
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Tatiane Alves Paixão
- Departamento de Patologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Danielle G. Souza
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniel Assis Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Springer DJ, Billmyre RB, Filler EE, Voelz K, Pursall R, Mieczkowski PA, Larsen RA, Dietrich FS, May RC, Filler SG, Heitman J. Cryptococcus gattii VGIII isolates causing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California: identification of the local environmental source as arboreal. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004285. [PMID: 25144534 PMCID: PMC4140843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ongoing Cryptococcus gattii outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada illustrate the impact of environmental reservoirs and both clonal and recombining propagation in driving emergence and expansion of microbial pathogens. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV, with no evidence of nuclear genetic exchange, indicating these represent distinct species. C. gattii VGII isolates are causing the Pacific Northwest outbreak, whereas VGIII isolates frequently infect HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals in the Western US, suggesting these molecular types occur in the environment. However, only two environmental isolates of C. gattii have ever been reported from California: CBS7750 (VGII) and WM161 (VGIII). The incongruence of frequent clinical presence and uncommon environmental isolation suggests an unknown C. gattii reservoir in California. Here we report frequent isolation of C. gattii VGIII MATα and MATa isolates and infrequent isolation of VGI MATα from environmental sources in Southern California. VGIII isolates were obtained from soil debris associated with tree species not previously reported as hosts from sites near residences of infected patients. These isolates are fertile under laboratory conditions, produce abundant spores, and are part of both locally and more distantly recombining populations. MLST and whole genome sequence analysis provide compelling evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections. Isolates displayed wide-ranging virulence in macrophage and animal models. When clinical and environmental isolates with indistinguishable MLST profiles were compared, environmental isolates were less virulent. Taken together, our studies reveal an environmental source and risk of C. gattii to HIV/AIDS patients with implications for the >1,000,000 cryptococcal infections occurring annually for which the causative isolate is rarely assigned species status. Thus, the C. gattii global health burden could be more substantial than currently appreciated. The environmentally-acquired human pathogen C. gattii is responsible for ongoing and expanding outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV. Molecular types VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals throughout the Western US. The Pacific Northwest and Canadian outbreak is primarily caused by C. gattii VGII. VGIII is responsible for ongoing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. However, only two environmental C. gattii isolates have ever been identified from the Californian environment: CBS7750 (VGII) and WM161 (VGIII). We sought to collect environmental samples from areas that had confirmed reports of clinical or veterinary infections. Here we report the isolation of C. gattii VGI and VGIII from environmental soil and tree samples. C. gattii isolates were obtained from three novel tree species: Canary Island pine, American sweetgum, and a Pohutukawa tree. Genetic analysis provides robust evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah J. Springer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJS); (JH)
| | - R. Blake Billmyre
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elan E. Filler
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Kerstin Voelz
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute of Health Research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Rhiannon Pursall
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Piotr A. Mieczkowski
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Larsen
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Fred S. Dietrich
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robin C. May
- Institute of Microbiology & Infection and the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- National Institute of Health Research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Scott G. Filler
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJS); (JH)
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Esposto MC, Cogliati M, Tortorano AM, Viviani MA. Electrophoretic karyotyping of Cryptococcus neoformans AD-hybrid strains. Mycoses 2008; 52:16-23. [PMID: 18498305 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2008.01532.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the differences in genome structure between haploid serotype A and D isolates and AD-hybrid strains of Cryptococcus neoformans, and the correlation between the karyotype of A and D strains with their mating ability. The electrophoretic karyotyping of 16 AD-hybrid, eight haploid serotype-A MATalpha, and eight haploid serotype-D MATalphaC. neoformans isolates was performed. These 32 isolates presented, two by two, the same genotype and flow cytometry profile. Five clusters were identified, each including VNI (serotype A), VNIV (serotype D) haploid strains and VNIII AD hybrids. Similarly, mating types were also randomly distributed in the five clusters. In addition, AD-hybrid isolates, with double content of DNA, showed only a slight increase in both the number of chromosomal bands and the calculated genome size compared with haploid isolates. Data support the hypothesis that hybrid isolates are aneuploids (2n+x) rather than eudiploids (2n). In addition, a set of six mating type a strains were karyotyped and then used for mating experiments carried out crossing the haploid isolates with similar or different karyotype profile strains. Isolates with completely different karyotype were able to mate confirming that meiosis occurred even in the presence of chromosomes of different lengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carmela Esposto
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Microbiologia, Virologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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11
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Diversidad del complejo de especies Cryptococcus neoformans-Cryptococcus gattii. Rev Iberoam Micol 2008; 25:S4-12. [DOI: 10.1016/s1130-1406(08)70019-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
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12
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Current awareness on yeast. Yeast 2006. [DOI: 10.1002/yea.1318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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13
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Medeiros Ribeiro A, Silva LKRE, Silveira Schrank I, Schrank A, Meyer W, Henning Vainstein M. Isolation ofCryptococcus neoformansvar.neoformansserotype D from Eucalypts in South Brazil. Med Mycol 2006; 44:707-13. [PMID: 17127627 DOI: 10.1080/13693780600917209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans causes the second most common opportunistic infection in patients with AIDS. In Brazil, 4.5% of the AIDS-related opportunistic infections are caused by C. neoformans and all varieties are recognized as etiological agents of cryptococcosis. This pathogen is a ubiquitous environmental yeast, commonly associated with avian excreta and decaying wood, especially Eucalypt species. The aim of the present study was to search for C. neoformans in Eucalypts and analyze the genotypic diversity of the obtained isolates by RAPD and PCR fingerprinting. All obtained isolates have been C. neoformans var. neoformans, serotype D molecular type VNIV. Serotype D, was isolated from 3 (37.5%) out of 8 cities surveyed in the South Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul. Nine (9%) out of 99 environmental samples were obtained from Eucalypt species, Eucalyptus calmadulensis and Eucalyptus tereticornis. Molecular analysis using RAPD and PCR-fingerprinting revealed very little genetic diversity in the obtained cryptococcal serotype D isolates. To our knowledge this is the first report of the isolation of serotype D from Eucalyptus trees in Brazil. More studies are required in order to establish the ecological significance of this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Medeiros Ribeiro
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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