Biology:Naganishia albida

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Short description: Species of fungus

Naganishia albida
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Tremellomycetes
Order: Filobasidiales
Family: Filobasidiaceae
Genus: Naganishia
Species:
N. albida
Binomial name
Naganishia albida
(Saito) X.Z. Liu, F.Y. Bai, M. Groenew. & Boekhout (2015)
Synonyms

Torula albida Saito (1922)
Torulopsis albida (Saito) Lodder (1934)
Cryptococcus albidus (Saito) C.E. Skinner (1950)
Rhodotorula albida (Saito) Galgoczy & E.K. Novák (1965)
Cryptococcus kuetzingii Fell & Phaff (1967)

Naganishia albida (synonym Cryptococcus albidus)[1] is a species of fungus in the family Filobasidiaceae. It is currently only known from its yeast state. The species was originally isolated from the air in Japan, and has subsequently been isolated from dry moss in Portugal, grasshoppers in Portugal, and tubercular lungs.[2]

Description

Cultured colonies are cream to pale pink, the majority smooth with a mucoid appearance. Some are rough and wrinkled, but this is a rare occurrence.[3] Naganishia albida is very similar to Cryptococcus neoformans, but can be differentiated because it is phenol oxidase-negative, and, when grown on Niger or birdseed agar, C. neoformans produces melanin, causing the cells to become brown, while N. albida cells stay cream.[4] Microscopically, N. albida yeasts are ovoid and when viewed with India ink, a capsule is apparent. This species also reproduces through budding. The formation of pseudohyphae has not been seen. N. albida is able to use glucose, citric acid, maltose, sucrose, trehalose, salicin, cellobiose, and inositol, as well as many other compounds, as sole carbon sources. This species is also able to use potassium nitrate as a nitrogen source. Naganishia albida produces urease.[5]

Pathology

While this species is most frequently found in water and plants and is also found on animal and human skin, it is not a frequent human pathogen. Cases of N. albida infection have increased in humans during the past few years, and it has caused ocular and systemic disease in those with immunoincompetent systems, for example, patients with AIDS, leukemia, or lymphoma.[3] While systemic infections have been found with increasing regularity in humans, it is still relatively rare in animals. The administration of amphotericin B in animals has been successful, but in humans, the treatment usually has poor results.[4]

References

  1. "Towards an integrated phylogenetic classification of the Tremellomycetes". Studies in Mycology 81: 85–147. 2015. doi:10.1016/j.simyco.2015.12.001. PMID 26955199. 
  2. "Diversity in the yeast Cryptococcus albidus and related species as revealed by ribosomal DNA sequence analysis". Canadian Journal of Microbiology 46 (1): 7–27. January 2000. doi:10.1139/w99-108. PMID 10696468. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Cryptococcus albidus". Dr. Fungus. http://www.doctorfungus.org/thefungi/Cryptococcus_albidus.php. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Systemic Cryptococcus albidus infection in a Doberman Pinscher". Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 17 (6): 598–600. January 2005. doi:10.1177/104063870501700615. PMID 16475523. 
  5. "Cryptococcus albidus". Mycology Online. The University of Adelaide. http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Fungal_Descriptions/Yeasts/Cryptococcus/C_albidus.html. 

Wikidata ☰ Q27786278 entry