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Revista Do Instituto de Medicina... 2023Naganishia albida (Cryptococcus albidus) is considered saprophytic fungi, and is rarely reported as a human pathogen. Cutaneous infections caused by non-neoformans... (Review)
Review
Naganishia albida (Cryptococcus albidus) is considered saprophytic fungi, and is rarely reported as a human pathogen. Cutaneous infections caused by non-neoformans cryptococcus are rare. We describe a case of an immunocompetent older male with cutaneous cryptococcosis caused by Naganishia albida following skin trauma, and conduct a literature review in PubMed, Lilacs, and Embase. Only six previous similar reports were found. The seven cases (including ours) were widely distributed geographically (Brazil, the US, the UK, Hungary, South Korea, and Iran), all males, and their ages varied, ranging from 14 to 86 years. Four individuals had underlying skin diseases (Sezary Syndrome, psoriasis, and skin rash without etiology) plus potentially immunosuppressive underlying conditions (diabetes mellitus, kidney transplantation, and the use of etanercept, adalimumab, and methylprednisolone). Cutaneous presentation was polymorphic, with lesions characterized as warts, ulcers, plaques, and even macules. Two patients presented disseminated disease. Serum cryptococcal antigen was negative in six patients, and diagnosis was made by fungal culture in all. There is a lack of data on optimal antifungal treatment and outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Male; Antifungal Agents; Basidiomycota; Cryptococcosis; Cryptococcus; Cryptococcus neoformans
PubMed: 38055378
DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946202365060 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2021Cryptococcosis is an infectious disease of worldwide distribution, caused by encapsulated yeasts belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota. The genus includes several...
Cryptococcosis is an infectious disease of worldwide distribution, caused by encapsulated yeasts belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota. The genus includes several species distributed around the world. The / species complex is largely responsible for most cases of cryptococcosis. However, clinical series have been published of infections caused by () and (), among other related genera. Here, we examined the pathogenic potential and antifungal susceptibility of / species complex (clades I and II) and related genera ( and ) isolated from environmental and clinical samples. . (clade III), . (clade IV) and /. (clade V) strains produced higher levels of phospholipase and hemolysins, whereas the / species complex strains (clades I and II) had markedly thicker capsules, produced more biofilm biomass and melanin, which are known virulence attributes. Interestingly, 40% of . strains (clade II) had MICs above the ECV established for this species to amphotericin B. Several non-/ species complex (clades III to V) had MICs equal to or above the ECVs established for and for all the three antifungal drugs tested. Finally, all the non- clinical isolates (clades III to V) produced more melanin than the environmental isolates might reflect their particularly enhanced need for melanin during protection. It is very clear that / species complex (clades I and II) strains, in general, show more similar virulence phenotypes between each other when compared to non-/ species complex (clades III to V) isolates. These observations together with the fact that . and spp. (clades III to V) strains were collected from the outside of a University Hospital, identify features of these yeasts important for environmental and patient colonization and furthermore, define mechanisms for infections with these uncommon pathogens.
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Basidiomycota; Cryptococcus gattii; Cryptococcus neoformans; Humans; Virulence; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 34277464
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.642658 -
Microorganisms Feb 2020The involvement of DNA methylation in the response to cold stress of two different yeast species (, psychrophilic, and , psychrotolerant), exhibiting different...
The involvement of DNA methylation in the response to cold stress of two different yeast species (, psychrophilic, and , psychrotolerant), exhibiting different temperature aptitudes, has been studied. Consecutive incubations at respective optimum temperatures, at 4 °C (cold stress) and at optimum temperatures again, were performed. After Methylation Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism (MSAP) fingerprints a total of 550 and 423 clear and reproducible fragments were amplified from and strains, respectively. The two strains showed a different response in terms of level of DNA methylation during cold stress and recovery from cold stress. The percentage of total methylated fragments in psychrophilic did not show any significant change. On the contrary, the methylation of psychrotolerant exhibited a nonsignificant increase during the incubation at 4 °C and continued during the recovery step, showing a significant difference if compared with control condition, resembling an uncontrolled response to cold stress. A total of 12 polymorphic fragments were selected, cloned, and sequenced. Four fragments were associated to genes encoding for elongation factor G and for chitin synthase export chaperon. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on DNA methylation in the response to cold stress carried out by comparing a psychrophilic and a psychrotolerant yeast species.
PubMed: 32093408
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020296 -
IMA Fungus Aug 2023During the construction and assembly of the Mars 2020 mission components at two different NASA cleanrooms, several fungal strains were isolated. Based on their colony...
During the construction and assembly of the Mars 2020 mission components at two different NASA cleanrooms, several fungal strains were isolated. Based on their colony morphology, two strains that showed yeast-like appearance were further characterized for their phylogenetic position. The species-level classification of these two novel strains, using traditional colony and cell morphology methods combined with the phylogenetic reconstructions using multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on several gene loci (ITS, LSU, SSU, RPB1, RPB2, CYTB and TEF1), and whole genome sequencing (WGS) was carried out. This polyphasic taxonomic approach supported the conclusion that the two basidiomycetous yeasts belong to hitherto undescribed species. The strain FJI-L2-BK-P3, isolated from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Spacecraft Assembly Facility, was placed in the Naganishia albida clade (Filobasidiales, Tremellomycetes), but is genetically and physiologically different from other members of the clade. Another yeast strain FKI-L6-BK-PAB1, isolated from the Kennedy Space Center Payload Hazardous and Servicing Facility, was placed in the genus Cystobasidium (Cystobasidiales, Cystobasidiomycetes) and is distantly related to C. benthicum. Here we propose two novel species with the type strains, Naganishia kalamii sp. nov. (FJI-L2-BK-P3 = NRRL 64466 = DSM 115730) and Cystobasidium onofrii sp. nov. (FKI-L6-BK-PAB1 = NRRL 64426 = DSM 114625). The phylogenetic analyses revealed that single gene phylogenies (ITS or LSU) were not conclusive, and MLSA and WGS-based phylogenies were more advantageous for species discrimination in the two genera. The genomic analysis predicted proteins associated with dehydration and desiccation stress-response and the presence of genes that are directly related to osmotolerance and psychrotolerance in both novel yeasts described. Cells of these two newly-described yeasts were exposed to UV-C radiation and compared with N. onofrii, an extremophilic UV-C resistant cold-adapted Alpine yeast. Both novel species were UV resistant, emphasizing the need for collecting and characterizing extremotolerant microbes, including yeasts, to improve microbial reduction techniques used in NASA planetary protection programs.
PubMed: 37568226
DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00119-4 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2022The Qaidam Basin is the highest and one of the largest and driest deserts on Earth. It is considered a mars analog area in China. In contrast to numerous studies...
The Qaidam Basin is the highest and one of the largest and driest deserts on Earth. It is considered a mars analog area in China. In contrast to numerous studies concerning its geology, geophysical, and chemistry, relatively few studies have reported microbial diversity and distribution in this area. Here, we investigated culturable yeast diversity in the northeast Qaidam Basin. A total of 194 yeast strains were isolated, and 12 genera and 21 species were identified, among which 19 were basidiomycetous yeasts. , , and were the three most dominant species and were distributed in thirteen samples from eight locations. Five new species (, , , , and ) were found and described based on ITS and D1D2 gene loci together with phenotypic characteristics and physiochemical analysis. Representative strains from each species were chosen for the salt-tolerant test, in which species showed different responses to different levels of NaCl concentrations. Further, the strain from soil can adapt well to the higher salt stress compared to those from plants or lichens. Our study represents the first report of the yeast diversity in the Qaidam Basin, including five new species, and also provides further information on the halotolerance of yeasts from the saline environment in mars analog.
PubMed: 36012846
DOI: 10.3390/jof8080858 -
Microorganisms Sep 2023The role of the fungal community, the mycobiota, in the health of the vagina is currently an important area of research. The emergence of new sequencing technologies and...
The role of the fungal community, the mycobiota, in the health of the vagina is currently an important area of research. The emergence of new sequencing technologies and advances in bioinformatics made possible the discovery of novel fungi inhabiting this niche. spp. constitutes the most important group of opportunistic pathogenic fungi, being the most prevalent fungal species in vulvovaginal infections. However, fungi such as spp., spp. and spp. have emerged as potential pathogens in this niche, and therefore it is clinically relevant to understand their ecological interaction with spp. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of yeasts on ' pathogenicity, focusing on in-vitro growth, and biofilm formation at different times of co-culture and germ tube formation. The assays were performed with isolated species or with co-cultures of (ATCC10231) with one other yeast species: (DSM13621), (DSM6170) or (DSM70215). The results showed that creates a symbiotic relationship with , enhancing the growth rate of the co-culture (149.69%), and of germ tube formation of (119.8%) and inducing a higher amount of biofilm biomass of the co-culture, both when mixed (154.1%) and preformed (166.8%). As for the yeasts and , the relationship is antagonistic (with a significant decrease in all assays), thus possibly repressing the mixture's pathogenicity. These results shed light on the complex interactions between yeasts in the vaginal mycobiome.
PubMed: 37894056
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102398 -
Microbiology Resource Announcements Sep 2022The yeast Naganishia albida strain 5307AI was isolated from an aircraft polymer-coated surface. The genome size is 20,642,279 bp, with a G+C content of 53.99%. The...
The yeast Naganishia albida strain 5307AI was isolated from an aircraft polymer-coated surface. The genome size is 20,642,279 bp, with a G+C content of 53.99%. The genome contains fatty acid transporters, cutinases, hydroxylases, and lipases that are likely used for survival on polymer coatings on aircraft.
PubMed: 35946952
DOI: 10.1128/mra.00242-22 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2023The Cryptococcus genus comprises more than 100 species, of which C. neoformans and C. gattii are the leading cause of cryptococcosis. The distribution of C. gattii and...
The Cryptococcus genus comprises more than 100 species, of which C. neoformans and C. gattii are the leading cause of cryptococcosis. The distribution of C. gattii and C. neoformans species complexes has been extensively studied and widely reported globally. Other species such as Naganishia albida, Papiliotrema laurentii, and Papiliotrema flavescens have been reported as pathogenic yeasts. Since there are no reports of environmental isolation in the Boyacá region (Colombia), this study aimed to isolate and characterize Cryptococcus and Cryptococcus-like yeasts from pigeon feces, Eucalyptus, and olive trees distributed in the municipalities of Tunja and Ricaute Alto. The environmental data was recovered, and the isolations obtained were identified by microscopy, biochemical test, MALDI-TOF MS, URA5-RFLP, and sequencing of the ITS and LSU loci. For the 93 pigeon dropping samples collected in Tunja, 23 yielded to C. neoformans, 3 to N. globosa, 2 N. albida and 1 to P. laurentii. Of the 1188 samples collected from olive trees, 17 (1.43%) positive samples were identified as C. gattii species complex (4), C. neoformans species complex (2), P. laurentii (3), N. albida (2), N. globosa (5) and P. flavescens (1). Likewise, specimens of C. neoformans presented molecular type VNI and molecular type VNII; for C. gattii the molecular types found were VGIII and one VGIV by URA5-RFLP but VGIII by MALDI-TOF and sequencing of the ITS and LSU. Therefore, it can be concluded that the species of Cryptococcus, Naganishia and Papiliotrema genera, are present in the environment of Boyacá, and show a predilection for climate conditions that are typical of this region.
Topics: Animals; Colombia; Cryptococcus neoformans; Cryptococcus gattii; Cryptococcosis; Climate; Columbidae; Olea
PubMed: 37735454
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41994-6 -
MicrobiologyOpen Oct 2022Five yeast fungi strains (i.e., two Cryptococcus albidus, one Candida guillermondii, and two Candida tropicalis) were isolated from sugarcane and tested for their use of...
Five yeast fungi strains (i.e., two Cryptococcus albidus, one Candida guillermondii, and two Candida tropicalis) were isolated from sugarcane and tested for their use of lignin as sole carbon source and their potential to grow in the presence of phenol and phenol derivatives (i.e., pentachlorophenol and p-nitrophenol). The full set of isolated yeasts showed ligninolytic activity, achieving at least 36% lignin degradation after 25 days. The C. albidus JS-B1 strain had the highest ligninolytic activity, achieving 27% lignin degradation within 4 days. This increased activity was associated with the production of ligninolytic laccase enzymes. All the tested yeast fungi strains showed growth in the presence of high concentrations of phenolic compounds (i.e., 900 mg/L phenol, 200 mg/L p-nitrophenol, 50 mg/L pentachlorophenol) and showed significant potential for lignin and lignin by-product degradation. Each of these five strains has the potential to be used in biological treatment processes for contaminated effluents from paper pulping and bleaching or phenol and phenol-derivative biodegradation processes for other industrial wastewater effluents.
Topics: Lignin; Pentachlorophenol; Nitrophenols; Yeasts; Phenol; Biodegradation, Environmental; Phenols
PubMed: 36314751
DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1326 -
Microorganisms Nov 2019Around 85% of the environments on Earth are permanently or seasonally colder than 5 °C. Among those, the poles constitute unique biomes, which harbor a broad variety of...
Around 85% of the environments on Earth are permanently or seasonally colder than 5 °C. Among those, the poles constitute unique biomes, which harbor a broad variety of microbial life, including an abundance of fungi. Many fungi have an outstanding ability to withstand extreme conditions and play vital ecosystem roles of decomposers as well as obligate or facultative symbionts of many other organisms. Due to their dispersal capabilities, microorganisms from cryosphere samples can be distributed around the world. Such dispersal involves both species with undefined pathogenicity and potentially pathogenic strains. Here we describe the isolation of fungal species from pristine Arctic locations in Greenland and Svalbard and the testing of the expression of characteristics usually associated with pathogenic species, such as growth at 37 °C, hemolytic ability, and susceptibility to antifungal agents. A total of 320 fungal isolates were obtained, and 24 of the most abundant and representative species were further analyzed. Species known as emerging pathogens, like , , and , were able to grow at 37 °C, showed beta-hemolytic activity, and were intrinsically resistant to commonly used antifungals such as azoles and echinocandins. Antifungal resistance screening revealed a low susceptibility to voriconazole in and spp. and to fluconazole in and -related taxon.
PubMed: 31766661
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7120600