Cryptic species of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: mycological and molecular evaluation of hyperendemic area isolates

• Grant number: 07/01306-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2007
• End date: September 30, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Bagagli
• Grantee: Raquel Cordeiro Theodoro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aim to study some evolutionary aspects of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the etiological agent of Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), the most important systemic mycosis in Latin América. The saprobe phase, the ecologic niche and other fundamental biologic aspects of this pathogen are still unknown. Projects in development by our group in the hyperendemic area of PCM from Botucatu/SP, in association with other research institutes, have already showed that the natural infection of P. brasiliensis in armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus is high and that the same ecopatogenotypes can infect both armadillos and human patients. The discovery of at least three crypitic species of P. brasiliensis, by molecular approaches, both in armadillos and human patients from the hyperendemic area of Botucatu/SP pointed out to the importance of a better evaluation of these isolates in order to detect some morphological, physiological and/or molecular markers for a practical and easy diferentiation of the three species. Molecular procedures, such as SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) and sequencing of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and prp8 intein regions in association with traditional mycological techniques will be applied for the characterization of a representative collection of P. brasiliensis isolates, including recent isolates from patients that are still in treatment and whose clinical aspects of PCM will be compared with the phylogenetic data from the isolates.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

THEODORO, RAQUEL CORDEIRO; VOLKMANN, GERRIT; LIU, XIANG-QIN; BAGAGLI, EDUARDO. PRP8 intein in Ajellomycetaceae family pathogens: Sequence analysis, splicing evaluation and homing endonuclease activity. Fungal Genetics and Biology, v. 48, n. 2, p. 80-91, FEB 2011. (07/01306-5)

THEODORO, RAQUEL C.; BAGAGLI, EDUARDO; OLIVEIRA, CLAUDIO. Phylogenetic analysis of PRP8 intein in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis species. Fungal Genetics and Biology, v. 45, n. 9, p. 1284-1291, SEP 2008. (07/01306-5)

THEODORO, RAQUEL CORDEIRO; TEIXEIRA, MARCUS DE MELO; SOARES FELIPE, MARIA SUELI; DOS SANTOS PADUAN, KARINA; RIBOLLA, PAULO MARTINS; SAN-BLAS, GIOCONDA; BAGAGLI, EDUARDO. Genus Paracoccidioides: Species Recognition and Biogeographic Aspects. PLoS One, v. 7, n. 5, MAY 30 2012. (10/08829-6, 07/01306-5, 10/08839-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

THEODORO, Raquel Cordeiro. Gênero Paracoccidioides: especiação e análise do intein PRP8. 2010. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Botucatu Botucatu.