Frequency and genetic diversity of the MAT1 locus of Histoplasma capsulatum isolates in Mexico and Brazil

Eukaryot Cell. 2013 Jul;12(7):1033-8. doi: 10.1128/EC.00012-13. Epub 2013 May 24.

Abstract

The MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs associated with the MAT1 locus of Histoplasma capsulatum were identified by PCR. A total of 28 fungal isolates, 6 isolates from human clinical samples and 22 isolates from environmental (infected bat and contaminated soil) samples, were studied. Among the 14 isolates from Mexico, 71.4% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 48.3% to 94.5%) were of the MAT1-2 genotype, whereas 100% of the isolates from Brazil were of the MAT1-1 genotype. Each MAT1 idiomorphic region was sequenced and aligned, using the sequences of the G-217B (+ mating type) and G-186AR (- mating type) strains as references. BLASTn analyses of the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 sequences studied correlated with their respective + and - mating type genotypes. Trees were generated by the maximum likelihood (ML) method to search for similarity among isolates of each MAT1 idiomorph. All MAT1-1 isolates originated from Brazilian bats formed a well-defined group; three isolates from Mexico, the G-217B strain, and a subgroup encompassing all soil-derived isolates and two clinical isolates from Brazil formed a second group; last, one isolate (EH-696P) from a migratory bat captured in Mexico formed a third group of the MAT1-1 genotype. The MAT1-2 idiomorph formed two groups, one of which included two H. capsulatum isolates from infected bats that were closely related to the G-186AR strain. The other group was formed by two human isolates and six isolates from infected bats. Concatenated ML trees, with internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) -5.8S-ITS2 and MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 sequences, support the relatedness of MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 isolates. H. capsulatum mating types were associated with the geographical origin of the isolates, and all isolates from Brazil correlated with their environmental sources.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Brazil
  • DNA, Intergenic / genetics
  • Genes, Mating Type, Fungal / genetics*
  • Genetic Loci / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Histoplasma / genetics*
  • Histoplasma / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Mexico
  • Molecular Sequence Data

Substances

  • DNA, Intergenic

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KC282431
  • GENBANK/KC282432
  • GENBANK/KC282433
  • GENBANK/KC282434
  • GENBANK/KC282435
  • GENBANK/KC282436
  • GENBANK/KC282437
  • GENBANK/KC282438
  • GENBANK/KC282439
  • GENBANK/KC282440
  • GENBANK/KC282441
  • GENBANK/KC282442
  • GENBANK/KC282443
  • GENBANK/KC282444
  • GENBANK/KC282445
  • GENBANK/KC282446
  • GENBANK/KC282447
  • GENBANK/KC282448
  • GENBANK/KC282449
  • GENBANK/KC282450
  • GENBANK/KC282451
  • GENBANK/KC282452
  • GENBANK/KC282453
  • GENBANK/KC282454
  • GENBANK/KC282455
  • GENBANK/KC282456
  • GENBANK/KC282457
  • GENBANK/KC282458