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Genotypic and Phenotypic Diversity of Cryptococcus gattii VGII Clinical Isolates and Its Impact on Virulence

Vanessa A Barcellos1, Liline M S Martins2,3, Alide C L Fontes4

  • 1Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|February 23, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Highly virulent Cryptococcus gattii VGII strains are prevalent in Northeast Brazil, exhibiting significant phenotypic and genotypic diversity. These strains show varied virulence, with CG02 demonstrating increased pathogenicity in a murine model.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cryptococcus gattii species complex causes cryptococcosis, particularly in immunocompetent individuals.
  • Molecular type VGII of C. gattii is dominant in Northeast Brazil, associated with severe disease.
  • Phenotypic variations among C. gattii isolates suggest differences in virulence, but pathogenic properties remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate virulence determinants and genotypic diversity of C. gattii VGII strains from Piauí, Brazil.
  • To compare the virulence potential of Brazilian C. gattii VGII isolates with a reference strain.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of capsular dimensions, melanin production, urease activity, and glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) secretion.
  • Virulence assessment using a murine model of cryptococcosis.
  • Genotypic characterization via Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST).

Main Results:

  • Brazilian C. gattii VGII isolates (CG01, CG02, CG03) exhibited distinct phenotypic characteristics compared to the R265 VGIIa reference strain.
  • The CG02 isolate demonstrated higher virulence than the R265 strain in the murine model.
  • MLST analysis revealed genotypic diversity, including a novel subtype for the CG02 isolate.

Conclusions:

  • Northeast Brazil harbors phenotypically and genotypically diverse C. gattii VGII strains.
  • These strains possess significant virulence potential, contributing to cryptococcosis morbidity and mortality.
  • Further research into the pathogenic mechanisms of these strains is warranted.
Keywords:
Cryptococcus gattiiMLSTdifferential pathogenicitymolecular type VGIIvirulence factors

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