Two different types of tandem sequences mediate the overexpression of in azole-resistant .

is an emerging dermatophyte that causes severe tinea corporis and tinea cruris. Numerous cases of terbinafine- and azole-recalcitrant -related dermatophytosis have been observed in India over the past decade, and cases are now being recorded worldwide. Whole genome sequencing of three azole-resistant strains revealed a variable number of repeats of a 2,404 base pair (bp) sequence encoding in tandem specifically at the locus position.

Effect of Topical Antifungal Luliconazole on Hyphal Morphology of Trichophyton mentagrophytes Grown on in vitro Onychomycosis Model.

Luliconazole, recently launched in Japan, is a novel topical imidazole antifungal agent for the treatment of onychomycosis. Using in vitro onychomycosis model, the effect of luliconazole on the morphology of the growing hyphae of Trichophyton mentagrophytes was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The model was produced by placing human nail pieces on an agar medium seeded with conidia of T.

Gene Amplification of : a New Mechanism of Resistance to Azole Compounds in Trichophyton indotineae.

Trichophyton indotineae causes dermatophytosis that is resistant to terbinafine and azole compounds. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanisms of resistance to itraconazole (ITC) and voriconazole (VRC) in strains of . Two azole-sensitive strains (ITC MIC < 0.

Terbinafine Resistance of Trichophyton Clinical Isolates Caused by Specific Point Mutations in the Squalene Epoxidase Gene.

Terbinafine is one of the allylamine antifungal agents whose target is squalene epoxidase (SQLE). This agent has been extensively used in the therapy of dermatophyte infections. The incidence of patients with tinea pedis or unguium tolerant to terbinafine treatment prompted us to screen the terbinafine resistance of all clinical isolates from the laboratory of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois collected over a 3-year period and to identify their mechanism of resistance.

Mechanism of Action of ME1111, a Novel Antifungal Agent for Topical Treatment of Onychomycosis.

Despite the existing treatment options for onychomycosis, there remains a strong demand for potent topical medications. ME1111 is a novel antifungal agent that is active against dermatophytes, has an excellent ability to penetrate human nails, and is being developed as a topical agent for onychomycosis. In the present study, we investigated its mechanism of action.

Flippase (FLP) recombinase-mediated marker recycling in the dermatophyte Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii.

Biological processes can be elucidated by investigating complex networks of relevant factors and genes. However, this is not possible in species for which dominant selectable markers for genetic studies are unavailable. To overcome the limitation in selectable markers for the dermatophyte Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii (anamorph: Trichophyton mentagrophytes), we adapted the flippase (FLP) recombinase-recombination target (FRT) site-specific recombination system from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a selectable marker recycling system for this fungus.

Cryptococcus lacticolor sp. nov. and Rhodotorula oligophaga sp. nov., novel yeasts isolated from the nasal smear microbiota of Queensland koalas kept in Japanese zoological parks.

A total of 515 yeast strains were isolated from the nasal smears of Queensland koalas and their breeding environments in Japanese zoological parks between 2005 and 2012. The most frequent species in the basidiomycetous yeast biota isolated from koala nasal passages was Cryptococcus neoformans, followed by Rhodotorula minuta. R.

Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Japanese Macaque Babesia-1 (JM-1) detected from a Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata fuscata).

We demonstrate here the identification and phylogenetic characterization of Babesia microti (B. microti)-like parasite detected from a splenectomized Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata fuscata) at a facility for laboratory animal science. On Day 133 after splenectomy, intra-erythrocytic parasites were found on light microscopic examination, and the level of parasitemia reached 0.

Detection and identification of probable endemic fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus gattii, and worldwide pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, by real-time PCR.

A real-time PCR method for detection and identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii was developed and evaluated using DNA from single-colony or koala nasal smears. Two TaqMan minor groove binder probes that distinguished between these species were designed corresponding to the internal sequences of the CAP59 gene for both species. The real-time PCR assay had 100% specificity, as assessed using 13 reference strains and 300 environmental strains.

Identification of a key residue determining substrate affinity in the human glucose transporter GLUT1.

Asn(331) in transmembrane segment 7 of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae transporter Hxt2 has been identified as a single key residue for high-affinity glucose transport by comprehensive chimera approach. The glucose transporter GLUT1 of mammals belongs to the same major facilitator superfamily as Hxt2 and may therefore show a similar mechanism of substrate recognition. The functional role of Ile(287) in human GLUT1, which corresponds to Asn(331) in Hxt2, was studied by its replacement with each of the other 19 amino acids.

Nephrocalcinosis in glucose-galactose malabsorption: nephrocalcinosis and proximal tubular dysfunction in a young infant with a novel mutation of SGLT1.

We report an association of proximal renal tubular dysfunction in a 50-day-old girl with glucose-galactose malabsorption who was found to have nephrocalcinosis, but no sign of nephrolithiasis. A novel homozygous nonsense mutation at 267Arg-->stop (CGA-->TGA) in the Na(+)-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) was found in loop 5 connecting transmembrane segments 6 and 7, indicating the complete loss of glucose transport activity. This case indicates that hypercalcaemia, nephrocalcinosis and proximal tubular dysfunction may be seen in association with glucose-galactose malabsorption and that most of these abnormalities improve with a glucose-galactose-free diet.

Correlation between breakfast tryptophan content and morning-evening in Japanese infants and students aged 0-15 yrs.

Tryptophan can be metabolized via 5-hydroxytryptamine=serotonin to melatonin by a series of 4 enzymes in pineal body. Lack of serotonin in body fluid in the brain during daytime can lead to several psychiatric disorders, while shortage of plasma-melatonin at night can be related to sleep disorders. The Morning-Evening (M-E) questionnaire and the original questionnaire including questions on sleep habits, mental symptoms, and contents of meals were administered to 1055 infants aged 0-6 yrs, 751 students attending an elementary school, and 473 students attending junior high school in Kochi City (33 degrees N).

Identification by comprehensive chimeric analysis of a key residue responsible for high affinity glucose transport by yeast HXT2.

Hxt2 and Hxt1 are, respectively, high affinity and low affinity facilitative glucose transporter paralogs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have previously investigated which amino acid residues of Hxt2 are important for high affinity transport activity. Studies with all the possible combinations of 12 transmembrane segments (TMs) of Hxt2 and Hxt1 revealed that TMs 1, 5, 7, and 8 of Hxt2 are necessary for high affinity transport.

Recruitment of TIP47 to lipid droplets is controlled by the putative hydrophobic cleft.

Adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) and TIP47 show sequence similarity, particularly in their N-terminal PAT-1 domain. Under standard culture conditions, ADRP existed in most lipid droplets (LDs), whereas TIP47 was observed only in some LDs and recruited to LDs on treatment with fatty acids. By analyzing deletion mutants, we found that the C-terminal half of TIP47, or more specifically the putative hydrophobic cleft [S.

Microsatellite polymorphism in Japanese mongrel dogs.

The genetic variability of 182 unrelated mongrel dogs living in various areas of Japan (from Hokkaido to Okinawa) was studied by collecting their blood. Ten microsatellite loci were chosen from different autosomal chromosomes. After combining a few rare adjoining alleles to allelic classes, it was confirmed that the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was attained in each locus.

Correlation between the severity of clinicopathological parameters and whole blood interferon-alpha production capacity in active phase IgA nephropathy patients.

Background/aims: Patients with IgA nephropathy (IgA-N) are thought to have immune system disorders that frequently result in high serum IgA levels and a relatively high susceptibility to upper respiratory infections.

Aims: To clarify the influence of the specific immune response of IgA-N patients on the clinicopathological features of the disease, we measured the whole-blood-producing capacity of interferon-alpha (IFNalpha-PC). We then compared these findings with clinical and histopathological parameters, including tissue macrophage infiltration, during both histologically active and latent phases.