Investigation of Cryptococcus Colonization and Mating Genotype in Environmental Samples

In this study, various tree species (eucalyptus, olive and carob) in a total of seven regions in Mersin (Gülnar, Göksu, Narlıkuyu, Ayaş, Kızkalesi, and Tarsus) and Hatay provinces were examined to detect Cryptococcus species. The aim of this study was to determine the environmental distribution and sexual genotypes of Cryptococcus species in these regions. In the present study, samples were collected from a total of 750 trees, including olive, eucalyptus, and carob trees. The samples were incubated on Staib agar medium containing 0.1% biphenyl and 0.5% chloramphenicol. Colonies that formed brown pigment were identified as C.neoformans using conventional and molecular methods. The sexual genotypes were determined by comparing the lengths of the STE20 gene from the isolates compared with those of reference C.neoformans strains. Growth was observed in 97 (12.9%) of 750 samples collected from eucalyptus (n= 236), olive (n= 303) and carob (n= 211) trees. All 97 isolates were determined to be C.neoformans var. grubii. The highest positivity was found in Narlıkuyu (78.2%), and from carob (9.4%) and olive (3.5%) trees. Cryptococcus species was not detected in any of the samples derived from eucalyptus trees. Based on the lengths of the STE20 gene, it was determined that all C.neoformans var. grubii isolates were in the MAT Aα genotype. The data obtained regarding the environmental distribution of Cryptococcus species and the distribution of genes involved in sexual reproductio...
Source: Mikrobiyoloji Bulteni - Category: Microbiology Authors: Source Type: research