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Adhesion and biofilm formation by two clinical isolates of Trichosporon Cutaneum in various environmental conditions

  • Fungal and Bacterial Physiology - Research Paper
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Abstract

Trichosporon spp. is an emerging opportunistic pathogen and a common cause of both superficial and invasive infections. Although Trichosporon asahii is the most frequently isolated species, Trichosporon cutaneum is also widely observed, as it is the predominant agent in cases of white Piedra and onychomycosis. Trichosporon spp. is a known to produce biofilms, which serve as one of its virulence mechanisms, however, there is limited data available on biofilms formed by T. cutaneum. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the adhesion and biofilm formation of two clinical isolates of T. cutaneum under various environmental conditions (including temperature, nutrient availability, and carbon source), as well as their tolerance to fluconazole. Adhesion was tested on common abiotic substrates (such as silicone, glass, and stainless steel), revealing that T. cutaneum readily adhered to all surfaces tested. CV staining was applied for the evaluation of the environment influence on biofilm efficiency and it was proved that the nutrient availability has a major impact. Additionaly, fluorescent staining was employed to visualize the morphology of T. cutaneum biofilm and its survival in the presence of fluconazole. Hyphae production was shown to play a role in elevated biofilm production in minimal medium and increased tolerance to fluconazole.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Mateusz Speruda for the help with fluorescence microscopy and Mariusz Dyląg for providing the strains of Trichosporon cutaneum.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Science Centre Poland (NCN) grant No. 2020/04/X/NZ9/00644.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mycology and Genetics, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego Str 63/77, Wrocław, Poland

    Agata Piecuch, Magdalena Cal & Rafał Ogórek

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  1. Agata Piecuch
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  2. Magdalena Cal
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  3. Rafał Ogórek
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Correspondence to Agata Piecuch.

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Piecuch, A., Cal, M. & Ogórek, R. Adhesion and biofilm formation by two clinical isolates of Trichosporon Cutaneum in various environmental conditions. Braz J Microbiol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-024-01321-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-024-01321-1

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