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Identification of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi and related taxa based on large subunit ribosomal DNA D1/D2 domain

Paride Abliz1, Kazutaka Fukushima, Kayoko Takizawa

  • 1Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8673, Japan.

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology
|January 22, 2004
PubMed

Insights

The D1/D2 domain of 26S ribosomal DNA is a reliable marker for identifying pathogenic dematiaceous fungi. Sequence analysis revealed low intra-species diversity, aiding in accurate fungal classification and phylogenetic studies.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Medical Microbiology

Background:

  • Dematiaceous fungi are a group of fungi characterized by dark-colored cell walls.
  • Some dematiaceous fungi are pathogenic to humans, causing infections ranging from superficial to systemic.
  • Accurate identification of pathogenic fungi is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the utility of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA for the identification of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi.
  • To assess the intra-species and inter-species sequence diversity within medically important dematiaceous fungi.
  • To construct phylogenetic trees to understand the evolutionary relationships among these fungi.

Main Methods:

  • Nucleotide sequencing of the D1/D2 domains of 26S ribosomal DNA from 76 strains representing 46 species of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi and related taxa.
  • Analysis of intra-species and inter-species sequence diversity.
  • Construction of phylogenetic trees using the obtained sequence data.

Main Results:

  • Extremely low intra-species sequence diversity was observed for medically important dematiaceous fungi, with some species showing no changes.
  • Inter-species nucleotide diversity was generally higher than intra-species diversity.
  • Phylogenetic analysis indicated that most human pathogenic species formed a single cluster, while some genera like Cladosporium and Phialophora were polyphyletically distributed.

Conclusions:

  • The D1/D2 domain of the 26S ribosomal DNA is a highly variable and informative marker for the identification of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi.
  • The observed sequence diversity supports the use of this marker for accurate fungal species identification.
  • Phylogenetic analysis using D1/D2 sequences provides insights into the evolutionary relationships and classification of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi.

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