Molecular Characterization of Clinical Saccharomyces cerevisiae Isolates and their Association with Non-Clinical Strains

• Published in: Systematic and applied microbiology Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 427 - 435
• Main Authors: de Llanos, Rosa, Querol, Amparo, Planes, Anna M., Fernández-Espinar, M. Teresa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Jena Elsevier GmbH 01.08.2004; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Clinical S. cerevisiae isolates; Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific - metabolism; DNA, Fungal - analysis; DNA, Mitochondrial - analysis; Female; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Microbiology; molecular characterization; Mycological Typing Techniques; Mycology; Mycoses - microbiology; Pathogenicity, host-agent relations, miscellaneous strains, epidemiology; PCR of d elements; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; RFLP of mtDNA; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - classification; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - isolation & purification; Terminal Repeat Sequences - genetics; molecular characterization; PCR of d elements; Clinical S. cerevisiae isolates; RFLP of mtDNA; Yeast; Microbiology; Taxonomy; Strain; Fungi; Polymerase chain reaction; Ascomycetes; PCR of δ elements; Clinical isolate; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Thallophyta; Food
• ISSN: 0723-2020; 1618-0984
• DOI: 10.1078/0723202041438473

We assessed the molecular characterization of 96 clinical isolates of S. cerevisiae from a Spanish medical institution and we compared them with 6 non-clinical strains isolated from wine, beer and bread and 1 S.boulardii strain collected from a commercial preparation. The strains were subjected to Hin fI mtDNA restriction analysis and PCR amplification of d sequences. Although both techniques are appropriate for routine clinical analysis, that based on PCR turned out to be the most discriminating. This study, apart from providing tools for clinical application, deals with the relationships between clinical and non-clinical strains. The two baker's yeasts analysed shared mtDNA and PCR patterns with a group of 31 clinical isolates. An exogenous entry of a strain was also reflected in the case of 19 clinical isolates and the therapeutic strain S. boulardii. Both baker's yeasts and S. boulardii were identified respectively among 32.3% and 19.8% of the clinical isolates and there seemed to be a connection between their ability to colonize humans and their ability to cause vaginal infection. The rest of food isolates were not grouped with clinical strains.