title: Extracellular proteolytic activity and molecular analysis of Microsporum canis strains isolated from symptomatic and asymptomatic cats.
abstract: Microsporum canis is the main zoophylic dermatophyte in dogs and cats, and it is also an important zoonotic agent. The literature showed that cats are asymptomatic carriers of M. canis. This is apparently due to host resistance and/or the presence of strains with lower virulence. This study was aimed to evaluate the keratinolytic, elastinolytic and collagenolytic activities of M. canis strains and their relationship with symptomatic and asymptomatic cats. In addition, these strains were analysed by RFLP. The strains isolated from cats with clinical dermatophytosis had higher keratinase and elastase activity than those isolated from asymptomatic animals (p minus than 0.05). There were not differences in RFLP patterns based on Hind III digestion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Micologia, Departamento de Microbiologia, ICB-USP, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 1374, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. flavio.viani@itelefonica.com.br
authors.forename: Flávio Cesar
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Viani
authors.forename: Paula Regina
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Cazares Viani
authors.forename: Irma Nelly
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Gutierrez Rivera
authors.forename: Eriques
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gonçalves da Silva
authors.forename: Claudete
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Paula
authors.forename: Walderez
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gambale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats / Q000382:microbiology*; D017364:Collagenases / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D015247:Deoxyribonuclease HindIII; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000201:enzymology; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008864:Microsporum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013045:Species Specificity; D014005:Tinea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D015247:Deoxyribonuclease HindIII; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; C035855:keratinase; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D017364:Collagenases