Molecular Identification of Mucor and Lichtheimia Species in Pure Cultures of Zygomycetes.

BACKGROUND: The Mucorales are an important opportunistic fungi that can cause mucormycosis in immunocompromised patients. The fast and precise diagnosis of mucormycosis is very important because, if the diagnosis is not made early enough, dissemination often occurs. It is now well established that molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) are feasible and reliable tools for the early and accurate diagnosis of mucormycosis agents.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to evaluate the validity of PCR-RFLP for the identification of Mucorales and some important Mucor and Lichtheimia species in pure cultures of Zygomycetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specific sense and anti-sense primers were used to amplify the Mucorales, Mucor, and Lichtheimia DNA. The PCR products were digested by AfIII, XmnI, and AcII restriction enzymes, and the resultant restriction pattern was analyzed.

RESULTS: On the basis of the molecular and morphological data, we identified Mucor plumbeus (10.83%), M. circinelloides (9.17%), Lichtheimia corymbifera (9.17%), M. racemosus (5.83%), M. ramosissimus (3.33%), and L. blakesleeana (0.83%).

CONCLUSIONS: It seems that PCR-RFLP is a suitable technique for the identification of Mucorales at the species level.