title: Identification and typing of the Candida parapsilosis complex: MALDI-TOF MS vs. AFLP.
abstract: In this study we compare the capability of amplification fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify and subtype isolates of members of the Candida parapsilosis complex (C. parapsilosis, C. orthopsilosis, C. metapsilosis) and Lodderomyces elongisporus, which cannot be differentiated with biochemical methods. Both techniques correctly identified all isolates included in this study and clustered isolates within the different species. DNA-based and mass spectrum-based dendrograms yielded similar outcomes with regard to phylogenetic distance within C. orthopsilosis and C. parapsilosis species. However, a different clustering was obtained for C. metapsilosis for which AFLP was highly effective in differentiating. While MALDI-TOF MS was found to be a reliable method for species-level identification, further studies are required to assess its value as a fungal typing tool.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Carolis
authors.forename: Lambert A M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hensgens
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vella
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Posteraro
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanguinetti
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senesi
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavanti
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D002175:Candida / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods*; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
keywords: AFLP; Candida metapsilosis; Candida orthopsilosis; Candida parapsilosis; MALDI-TOF MS; typing