title: Comparison of proteolytic activity of Candida sp. strains depending on their origin.
abstract: The aim of the research was to evaluate the proteolytic activity of various Candida strains isolated from the oral cavity of persons without clinical symptoms of fungal infection, outpatients with oral cavity disorders and patients hospitalized due to head and neck tumors. A secondary aim was to confirm the presence of secreted aspartyl protease (SAP) genes in the isolated strains and then to compare it depending on the fungal species. Material consisted of 134 fungal strains that were analysed by a modified Staib method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the use of specific primer pairs. The greatest proteolytic activity of fungi was observed at pH 3.5. The proteolysis were the strongest for strains isolated from dental patients and the weakest from persons without changes in the oral cavity. In total, 61.9% of the strains exhibited the presence of at least one of the SAP1-3 genes in all examined groups, SAP1 being the most common; SAP4-6 genes were not observed. All genes were more frequent in the strains isolated from the dental patients than from other groups. SAP1-3 genes were present in Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. humicola and C. lipolytica, but were not noted in other isolated species. The lowest activity of proteolytic enzymes and the least number of aspartyl protease genes are observed among strains isolated from patients without clinical symptoms of mycosis. SAP1-3 genes are most frequently detected in the strains isolated from the oral cavity; their presence varies depending on the species of the fungi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: barbara.modrzewska@umed.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Modrzewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kurnatowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khalid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D041221:Candida glabrata / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D059748:Proteolysis; D013045:Species Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases
keywords: Candida; Gènes SAP; PCR; Protéases d’aspartyl sécrétées; SAP genes; Secreted aspartyl proteases