title: Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Malassezia japonica isolated from psoriasis vulgaris patients.
abstract: Malassezia species, which are skin colonizers, are being debated as to their pathogenic role in various cutaneous diseases. Species identification of Malassezia is important as particular species have been implicated in or associated with specific diseases. Malassezia japonica, a relatively newly described species, has not been completely characterized owing to the rarity of its isolation. In the present study we describe phenotypic and molecular characterization of six M. japonica strains isolated from patients with psoriasis vulgaris. In contrast to the physiological and biochemical properties of the M. japonica type strain, CBS9348, all our isolates assimilated Tween 20 and showed positive β-glucosidase activity, and the Cremophor EL utilization test was negative. However, the sequences of the D1/D2 region of rDNA, ITS2 and IGS1 regions of all our isolates clustered with the type strain of M. japonica.
authors.affiliation: Mycology Division, Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Honnavar
authors.affiliation: Mycology Division, Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Arunaloke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakrabarti
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Leprology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Leprology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.affiliation: Mycology Division, Department of Medical Microbiology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Shivaprakash M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rudramurthy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008290:Malassezia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D002374:Catalase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase