Biomaterial Database

Molecular characterization of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans isolated in Vitoria, ES, Brazil. 2008

Mariceli Araujo Ribeiro, and Popchai Ngamskulrungroj

Nucleo de Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil. mariceliaraujo@yahoo.com

Cryptococcus neoformans is the major cause of fungal meningitis, a potentially lethal mycosis. Bird excreta can be considered a significant environmental reservoir of this species in urban areas, thirty-three samples of pigeon excreta were collected within the city of Vitoria, Brazil. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated and identified using standard biochemical assays in ten samples. PCR amplification with primer M13 and orotidine monophosphate pyrophosphorylase (URA5) gene-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis discerned serotypes and genotypes within this species. All isolates were serotype A (C. neoformans var. grubii) and genotype VNI. The two alternative alleles a and alpha at the mating type locus were determined by PCR amplification and mating assays performed on V8 medium. All isolates were MAT alpha mating type but only 50% were able to mate in vitro with the opposite mating type MAT a tester strains (JEC20, KN99a and Bt63). This study adds information on the ecology and molecular characterization of C. neoformans in the Southeast region of Brazil.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D012098	Reproduction	The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D012150	Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length	Variation occurring within a species in the presence or length of DNA fragment generated by a specific endonuclease at a specific site in the genome. Such variations are generated by mutations that create or abolish recognition sites for these enzymes or change the length of the fragment.	RFLP,Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism,RFLPs,Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms
D001938	Brazil	A country located on the eastern coast of South America, located between Colombia and Peru, that borders the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered on the north by Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, on the south by Uruguay, and on the west by Argentina. The capital is Brasilia.
D003455	Cryptococcus neoformans	A species of the fungus CRYPTOCOCCUS. Its teleomorph is Filobasidiella neoformans.	Blastomyces neoformans,Debaryomyces neoformans,Filobasidiella neoformans,Lipomyces neoformans,Saccharomyces neoformans,Torula neoformans,Torulopsis neoformans,Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D005838	Genotype	The genetic constitution of the individual, comprising the ALLELES present at each GENETIC LOCUS.	Genogroup,Genogroups,Genotypes
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012703	Serotyping	Process of determining and distinguishing species of bacteria or viruses based on antigens they share.	Serotypings
D016133	Polymerase Chain Reaction	In vitro method for producing large amounts of specific DNA or RNA fragments of defined length and sequence from small amounts of short oligonucleotide flanking sequences (primers). The essential steps include thermal denaturation of the double-stranded target molecules, annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences, and extension of the annealed primers by enzymatic synthesis with DNA polymerase. The reaction is efficient, specific, and extremely sensitive. Uses for the reaction include disease diagnosis, detection of difficult-to-isolate pathogens, mutation analysis, genetic testing, DNA sequencing, and analyzing evolutionary relationships.	Anchored PCR,Inverse PCR,Nested PCR,PCR,Anchored Polymerase Chain Reaction,Inverse Polymerase Chain Reaction,Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction,PCR, Anchored,PCR, Inverse,PCR, Nested,Polymerase Chain Reactions,Reaction, Polymerase Chain,Reactions, Polymerase Chain
D016533	Mycological Typing Techniques	Procedures for identifying types and strains of fungi.	Biotyping, Mycological,Fungal Typing Techniques,Typing, Fungal,Fungal Typing Technics,Mycological Biotyping,Mycological Typing Technic,Mycological Typing Technics,Mycological Typing Technique,Technic, Mycological Typing,Technics, Mycological Typing,Technique, Mycological Typing,Techniques, Mycological Typing,Typing Technic, Mycological,Typing Technics, Mycological,Typing Technique, Mycological,Typing Techniques, Mycological,Fungal Typing,Fungal Typing Technic,Fungal Typing Technique,Technic, Fungal Typing,Technics, Fungal Typing,Technique, Fungal Typing,Techniques, Fungal Typing,Typing Technic, Fungal,Typing Technics, Fungal,Typing Technique, Fungal,Typing Techniques, Fungal