www.symbiosisonline.org Symbiosis www.symbiosisonlinepublishing.com Review Article International Journal of Genetic Science Open Access Molecular Methods Developed for the Identification and Characterization of Candida Species Danielly Beraldo dos Santos Silva, Kelly Mari Pires de Oliveira, Alexéia Barufatti Grisolia* Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, Dourados, MS, Brazil Received: 21 June, 2016; Accepted: 01 September, 2016; Published: 10 September, 2016 *Corresponding author: Grisolia AB, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences (FCBA), Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD). Rodovia Dourados-Itahum KM 12, P.O. Box:533, Zip Code:79804-970, Dourados/ Mato Grosso do Sul/ Brazil, Tel: +55 (067) 34102223; E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Candida species Candida species are commensally microorganisms in healthy andThis reviewdiscusses summarizes future perspectives: the insights omicsthe main technologies methods used for individuals, but is also the most opportunistic fungal pathogen of in the identificationCandida and characterization species. the human. From benign skin-mucosal forms to invasive ones, Candida infection, can compromise various organs systematic and cause characterizationGeneral features: of Candida species diseases in immunocompromised or critically ill patients. Hence the Candida strains is crucial for diagnosis, clinical treatment and epidemiological Fungi, phylum Ascomycota, class Saccharomycetes, family accurate identification and characterization of the disease-causing Saccharomycetaceae,species are and taxonomically genus Candida classified. These in the yeasts kingdom are unicellular microorganisms that are pleomorphic and ovoid studies of candidacies. Molecular methods the identification and or spherical in shape with an incomplete sexual cycle. Candida especiallycharacterization in the support case of gives resistant in epidemiological Candida species. research This reviewand in development of novel antifungal with specific molecular targets, species commensally inhabit the human body and can be found in Candida species and discusses future the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, vaginal mucosa, oral perspectives.aims to describe the main methods used in the identification cavity, and skin of healthy individuals [4]; they can also be isolated and characterization the from plants, water, soil, and other environments. Moreover, they Keywords: Candidiasis; ITS; Genomes; Molecular typing can degrade proteins and carbohydrates as a source of carbon and nitrogen, which are essential for their development [5]. Introduction The relationship between an autochthonous Candida species Candida species commensally inhabit the human body. The and its human host can be affected by pathological, physiological, relationship between an autochthonous Candida species and mechanical, and iatrogenic factors. In this sense, Candida species its human host can be affected by pathological, physiological, can cause several types of infections with a wide spectrum of mechanical and iatrogenic factors. In this sense, Candida species can cause several types of infections with a wide spectrum of ones that compromise several organs, leading to host death [1]. clinical presentations, from superficial benign forms to invasive There are close to 200 different ones that compromise several organs, leading to host death [1]. Candida Candidaclinical presentations, species exhibit from a large superficial clinical benign relevance, forms therefore to invasive is Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, and Candida parapsilosis [subdividedspecies, into C. fiveparapsilosis, of which molecular level for understanding the spread of species and the Candida orthopsilosis, and Candida metapsilosis] (Figure 1) are mechanismsnecessary to correctlyof their resistance identify and to antifungal characterize agents the isolates [2]. at the involved in more than 90% of invasive infections [6,7]. Other emergent Candida species, such as Candida guilliermondii, The resistance of Candida species to antifungal agents Candida dubliniensis, Candida lusitaniae, Candida kefyr, Candida can often be attributed to a mutation gene or other alteration rugosa, Candida famata, Candida utilis, Candida lipolytica, Candida (such as increased expression) of the drug target [3]. In this norvegensis, and Candida inconspícua, also have clinical relevance, sense, were developed several effective molecular methods Candida species. systemic itches [7,8]. These methods support gives in epidemiological research and and have been identified as causative agents of superficial and for the identification and characterization of C. albicans is considered the most frequently isolated species targets, especially in the case of resistant Candida species. tions of different in development of novel antifungal with specific molecular from patients with superficial and invasive infec Symbiosis Group *Corresponding author email: [email protected] Molecular Methods Developed for the Identification and Characterization of Candida Species Copyright: © 2016 Chandrasekera, et al. Together,amphotericin Candida B and species azoles. exhibit However, a large in clinical clinical studies, relevance isolates due with reduced sensitivity to fluconazole have been reported [18]. body. It is therefore necessary to correctly identify and diagnose theto their yeast incidence species responsible of colonization for an and infection infection and of subsequently the human prescribe the proper antifungal agent for treatment. Candida species are based on analysis of Phenotypic methods used in the identification and Thecharacterization of morphological and biochemicalCandida profile species of are these observation organisms. of most widely used phenotypic methods for identification assimilativeand characterization capacity and the substrate fermentation [19]. microscopic structures, evaluation tests of enzyme activity and Several commercial products and systems have been clinical microbiology laboratories in the diagnosis of infections causeddeveloped by theCandida aim of species solve some[20], difficultiesfor example experienced Agar containing by the Figure 1: Candida species clinical, isolated on selective and differential chromo gens, kits and panels semi or full automated to the CHROMagar™ Candida DIFICO®. A) Candidaalbicans; B) Candidatropica- lis; C) Candidaglabrata; D) Candidaparapsilosis; E) Candidakrusei.. [21,22]. The use of only phenotypic testing is not highly effective presumed or definitive Candidaidentification species of the because most prevalent some species anatomical sites in case studies from around the world [9]. Its has few morphological and biochemical variations, therefore main pathogenic mechanisms and virulence factors appear to be phenotypicfor identification and molecular of methods can be used in together to its ability to adhere to different mucous membranes and epithelia, increaseIdentification reliability and in the Molecular identification Characterization of these species. phospholipases.its ability to produce Such filamentousspecies are naturally structures sensitive that assist to antifungal in tissue In recent decades, molecular biological techniques have been agentsinvasion, when and usedits production systemically, of enzymes but cases such of acquired as proteinases resistance and used to better understand the pathogenicity of Candida species and to expand the search for new molecular drug targets. Candida patients that receive long-term antifungal therapy [10]. to azolics, in particular to fluconazole, have been described in features which recent genomic approaches have been able to C. tropicalis is species are diploid, heterozygous, andCandida contain Genome a plastid Sequencing genome, detected in 20-24% of blood-borne infections [10,11], mainly in Project was initiated with a goal of sequencing the genome of In Latin American countries, especially Brazil, elderly patients and those with conditions such as neutropenia C.better albicans characterize. SC5314 [23,24].In 1996, This the goal necessitated the use of and Diabetes mellitus [12]. Clinical isolates of this species are bioinformatics tools that were able to predict and annotate genes in the sequence. The result was the description of 6,354 genes, beentypically recently sensitive reported to amphotericin and described B and [14]. triazoles [13]; however, still not been determined. cases of resistance to these drugs, especially to fluconazole, have although the DNA sequences of some specific chromosomes had The species C. glabrata and, C. krusei also have pathogenic Comparison of the C. albicans genome with the genomes of potential [10,11]. C. glabrata ranks second among isolates from blood-borne infections in the United States. This species has therapies.other fungal It wasspecies observed allowed that for compared the identification with other offungi, several the resistant isolates as well the incidence of isolates with reduced codingspecific sequencegenes that of couldthe C. bealbicans potential genome targets was forrich antifungal in short sensitivityalso experienced to amphotericin an increase Bin andthe percentagecross-resistance of fluconazole- to other tandem repeats (STRs). It was also possible to identify and C. krusei has been shown to conduct detailed analyses of multi genic families found in C. be an occasional hospital pathogen, particularly in patients albicans, many of which were related to its pathogenicity