Taxonomic relationships among the taxa in the Candida guilliermondii complex, as revealed by comparative electrophoretic karyotyping

Abstract

Electrophoretic karyotypes of 15 type strains of the taxa in the Candida guilliermondii complex including Candida fukuyamaensis Nakase et al. and Candida xestobii Yarrow et S. A. Meyer were comparatively analysed by using the CHEF (contour-clamped homogeneous electric field) method of PFGE. Eighteen strains (isolated from various natural sources in China) which were originally identified as C. guilliermondii by conventional methods were also included. Six electrophoretic karyotype groups were recognized among the strains compared. The following type strains were grouped together with the type strains of C. guilliermondii (Castellani) Langeron et Guerra and Pichia guilliermondii Wickerham: Blastodendrion arztii Ota, Blastodendrion krausi Ota, Candida amidovorans Balloni et al., C. guilliermondii var. japonica Sugiyama et Goto, Candida mamillae S. Goto, Candida parapsilosis (Ashford) Langeron et Talice var. tokyoensis Suzuki et al., C. parapsilosis var. tuxtlensis Herrera et al. and six Chinese strains. The type strain of Torulopsis kestonii Scarr et Rose was classified into the group together with the type strain of Candida fermentati (Saito) Bai and seven Chinese strains. The group represented by the type strain of C. fukuyamaensis included five other strains isolated in China. The type strains of Candida xestobii, C. guilliermondii var. carpophila Phaff et M. W. Miller and Trichosporon appendiculare Batista et al. were separated into three different groups, respectively. Taxonomic relationships among the taxa studied are discussed.