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Home / Equine Research Bank / Mycopathologia / Cryptic Diversity of Malassezia pachydermatis from Healthy a...
Mycopathologia2016; 181(9-10); 681-688; doi: 10.1007/s11046-016-0026-3

Cryptic Diversity of Malassezia pachydermatis from Healthy and Diseased Domestic Animals.

Abstract: Malassezia pachydermatis is part of the normal cutaneous microbiota of wild and domestic carnivores. However, under certain conditions this yeast can overproliferate and cause several diseases in its host, mainly otitis and dermatitis in dogs. The aim of this study was to conduct a molecular characterization of M. pachydermatis isolates from healthy and diseased domestic animals, in order to assess the molecular diversity and phylogenetic relationship within this species. The large subunit (LSU) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal RNA, chitin synthase 2 (CHS2) and β-tubulin genes from sixteen strains isolated from dogs, cats, a goat, a pig and a horse were sequenced. A different number of types of sequences were identified for each target gene, including some types described for the first time. Five sequence types were characterized for the LSU, eleven for the ITS region, nine for CHS2 and eight for β-tubulin. A multilocus analysis was performed including the four genes, and the resulting phylogenetic tree revealed fifteen genotypes. Genotypes were distributed in two well-supported clades. One clade comprised strains isolated from different domestic animals and a strongly supported cluster constituted by strains isolated from cats. The second clade included strains isolated mainly from dogs and an outlier strain isolated from a horse. No apparent association could be observed between the health status of the animal hosts and concrete strains. The multilocus phylogenetic analysis is a useful tool to assess the intraspecific variation within this species and could help understand the ecology, epidemiology and speciation process of M. pachydermatis.
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Publication Date: 2016-06-09 PubMed ID: 27283291DOI: 10.1007/s11046-016-0026-3Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article presents a study on the molecular diversity and phylogenetic relation of the Malassezia pachydermatis yeast, found in both healthy and diseased domestic animals. The team sequenced the genes of this yeast from various strains, and found that there was no clear link between the health status of the host animals and the strains of yeast present.

Objective and Significance of the Study

  • This research study aimed at understanding the molecular diversity and phylogenetic relations (biological ancestry and evolution history) of Malassezia pachydermatis, a type of yeast present normally on the skin of wild and domesticated carnivores.
  • Although this yeast is part of the normal skin microbiota, under some conditions it can grow excessively and cause illnesses like dermatitis and otitis, primarily in dogs.
  • The analysis holds value as it can help in understanding the ecology and epidemiology of M. pachydermatis, and could contribute to the knowledge on speciation process of this species.

Methods and Findings

  • The researchers conducted a molecular characterization of M. pachydermatis by isolating it from healthy and diseased domestic animals, including dogs, cats, a goat, a pig, and a horse. They then sequenced its Large Subunit (LSU) and the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) of ribosomal RNA, along with Chitin Synthase 2 (CHS2) and β-tubulin genes.
  • The team found several sequence types for each target gene, including certain types which were identified for the first time. Namely, they discovered five sequence types for LSU, eleven for the ITS region, nine for CHS2, and eight for β-tubulin.
  • Through the multilocus analysis of the four genes, they found fifteen genotypes.
  • In the phylogenetic analysis, the genotypes were split into two distinct clades. The first clade had strains from various domestic animals, along with a cluster essentially containing strains from cats. The second clade mostly contained strains from dogs, along with one strain from a horse.

Conclusions

  • The researchers did not find any significant association between the health state of the animal hosts and the specific strains of the yeast, which means strains were found across both healthy and diseased animals irrespective of their health conditions.
  • The study provides valuable insights into the intraspecific variation i.e., the variation occurring within the species of M. pachydermatis.
  • The multilocus phylogenetic analysis applied in this research can be utilized as a helpful tool in evaluating and understanding the diversity within this yeast species.

Cite This Article

APA
Puig L, Castellá G, Cabañes FJ. (2016). Cryptic Diversity of Malassezia pachydermatis from Healthy and Diseased Domestic Animals. Mycopathologia, 181(9-10), 681-688. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-016-0026-3

Publication

Mycopathologia
ISSN: 1573-0832
NlmUniqueID: 7505689
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 181
Issue: 9-10
Pages: 681-688

Researcher Affiliations

Puig, Laura
  • Veterinary Mycology Group, Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
Castellá, Gemma
  • Veterinary Mycology Group, Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. Gemma.Castella@uab.cat.
Cabañes, F Javier
  • Veterinary Mycology Group, Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic
  • Cats
  • Chitin Synthase / genetics
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA, Fungal / chemistry
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Dermatomycoses / microbiology
  • Dermatomycoses / veterinary
  • Dogs
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genotype
  • Goats
  • Horses
  • Malassezia / classification
  • Malassezia / genetics
  • Malassezia / isolation & purification
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Swine
  • Tubulin / genetics

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
  1. Hađina S, Bruvo Mađarić B, Kazazić S, Paradžik T, Reljić S, Pinter L, Huber Đ, Vujaklija D. Malassezia pachydermatis from brown bear: A comprehensive analysis reveals novel genotypes and distribution of all detected variants in domestic and wild animals. Front Microbiol 2023;14:1151107.
    doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1151107pubmed: 37275156google scholar: lookup
  2. Díaz L, Castellá G, Bragulat MR, Cabañes FJ. ERG11 Gene Variability and Azole Susceptibility in Malassezia pachydermatis. Mycopathologia 2023 Apr;188(1-2):21-34.
    doi: 10.1007/s11046-022-00696-9pubmed: 36495417google scholar: lookup
  3. Puig L, Castellá G, Cabañes FJ. Quantification of Malassezia pachydermatis by real-time PCR in swabs from the external ear canal of dogs. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019 May;31(3):440-447.
    doi: 10.1177/1040638719840686pubmed: 30943876google scholar: lookup
  4. Puig L, Bragulat MR, Castellá G, Cabañes FJ. Characterization of the species Malassezia pachydermatis and re-evaluation of its lipid dependence using a synthetic agar medium. PLoS One 2017;12(6):e0179148.
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  6. Yurayart C, Niae S, Limsivilai O, Thengchaisri N, Sattasathuchana P. Comparative analysis of the distribution and antifungal susceptibility of yeast species in cat facial hair and human nails. Sci Rep 2024 Jun 26;14(1):14726.
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