Determination of mating types through antibiotic resistance phenotypes in Cryptococcus neoformans

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is best known as a life threatening pathogen that infest majorly immuocompromised individual. In this work, two isolates; one clinical CD4832 and environmental NMB5 selected and confirmed based on their melanin production on niger seed agar and ability to grow at 37°C. These selected isolates were involved in antifungal susceptibility test using Fluconazole as the antibiotic agent. Response to Fluconazole showed that the CD4832 is less susceptible compare to NMB5. The results clearly demonstrated that the two strains have different susceptibility levels based on the various concentration of the Fluconazole that was used. In attempting to check if the two strains have the ability to recombine, they were mixed together and treated with the same concentration of Fluconazole. Interestingly, the results suggested two mating types- thus opening wide discussion for research into new drug target.

Keywords: Mating types, virulence, antifungal agent, sexual recombination