Genomic heterogeneity in the yeast Candida parapsilosis.
Candida parapsilosis shows a wide intraspecies variation in chromosome/homolog size distribution. As a prerequisite for delineating modes of transmission, we have undertaken an analysis of genetic variation at different levels. In the present study we have observed that a majority of isolates display similar electrophoretic karyotype patterns consistent for the species, with variations in the smaller group of chromosomes. In two strains we observed phenotypic "switching"; one of these also exhibited a mixed karyotypic subpopulation. In contrast, a few isolates displayed a greater degree of chromosome/homolog size variation. We also observed, through randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, results consistent with those of pulsed-field electrophoresis. Isolates displaying a high degree of chromosome/homolog variation also displayed a high degree of variation in genomic "fingerprints". Polymorphisms, although present, were much reduced in the majority of isolates. These parallel observations suggest a common underlying mechanism. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that chromosome-sized variations in C. parapsilosis are due to random genetic events. A similar mechanism has been hypothesized for the taxonomically related yeast Candida albicans.
Lott
T J
TJ
Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA 30333.
Kuykendall
R J
RJ
Welbel
S F
SF
Pramanik
A
A
Lasker
B A
BA
D001483:Base Sequence; D002175:Candida / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000382:microbiology; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005784:Gene Amplification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype
D004271:DNA, Fungal