Chitin synthase 1 gene of Arthroderma benhamiae isolates in Japan

In the present study, the chitin synthase 1 (CHS1) gene of eight clinical isolates of Arthroderma benhamiae in Japan was investigated. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the CHS1 gene fragments from clinical isolates of A. benhamiae and from standard strains of Americano-European race and African race A. benhamiae indicated more than 90% similarities among these dermatophytes. An especially high degree of similarity was noted in nucleotide sequence CHS1 gene fragments, with more than 99% among eight clinical isolates and standard strains of the Americano-European race of A. benhamiae. The phylogenetic analysis of their sequences revealed that the eight clinical isolates and the standard strains of the Americano-European race of A. benhamiae were included in the same cluster, and that the African race of A. benhamiae formed a cluster that was distinct from the Americano-European race of A. benhamiae, A. simii and A. vanbreuseghemii.