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Genes Encoding Proteolytic Enzymes Fungalysin and Subtilisin in Dermatophytes of Human and Animal Origin: A Comparative Study

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Abstract

Dermatophytes are among the most successful fungal pathogens in humans, but their virulence mechanisms have not yet been fully characterized. Dermatophytic fungi secrete proteases in vivo, which are responsible for fungal colonization and degradation of the keratinized tissue during infection. In the present study, we used PCR to investigate the presence of genes encoding fungalysins (MEP) and subtilisins (SUB) in three dermatophyte species whose incidence is increasing in Europe: the anthropophilic Trichophyton rubrum (n = 58), zoophilic Microsporum canis (n = 33), and Trichophyton benhamiae (n = 6). MEP2 and SUB4 genes were significantly correlated with T. rubrum; MEP3 and SUB1 were mostly frequently harbored by M. canis; and MEP1, 2, and 4 and SUB3–7 were most frequently harbored by T. benhamiae isolates (p < 0.05). Furthermore, MEP1–5 and SUB1–3 genes were significantly more prevalent among human clinical isolates of M. canis (n = 17) than among asymptomatic cat isolates of M. canis (n = 16; p < 0.05). Unidentified MEP and/or SUB genes in some isolates in the current study may suggest that other gene repertoires may be involved in the degradation of keratin. The presented analysis of the incidence of MEP and SUB virulence genes in three dermatophyte species of diverse origins provides an insight into the host–fungus interaction and dermatophyte pathogenesis.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Professor Murat Durdu for his expert comments on preliminary draft of the manuscript.

Funding

This study was funded by the Research Fund of Mersin University (project no. 2015-AP3-1230).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Technology Education, Research, and Application Center, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey

    Engin Kaplan & Serpil Gonca

  2. Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit, Zonguldak, Turkey

    Engin Kaplan

  3. Division of Mycology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey

    Hazal Kandemir & Macit Ilkit

  4. Centre of Expertise in Mycology, Radboud University Medical Centre/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Hazal Kandemir

  5. Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mersin, Mersin, Turkey

    Aylin Döğen

  6. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ege, Izmir, Turkey

    Süleyha Hilmioğlu-Polat

  7. Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan

    Reiko Tanaka & Takashi Yaguchi

  8. Laboratory for Medical Microbiology, Mölbis, Germany

    Silke Uhrlaβ & Pietro Nenoff

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  1. Engin Kaplan
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  2. Serpil Gonca
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Correspondence to Aylin Döğen.

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Kaplan, E., Gonca, S., Kandemir, H. et al. Genes Encoding Proteolytic Enzymes Fungalysin and Subtilisin in Dermatophytes of Human and Animal Origin: A Comparative Study. Mycopathologia 185, 137–144 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-019-00367-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-019-00367-2

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