Open AccessBlastomyces dermatitidis produces melanin in vitro and during infection
Author(s) -
Nosanchuk Joshua D.,
Duin David,
Mandal Piyali,
Aisen Philip,
Legendre Alfred M.,
Casadevall Arturo
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsle.2004.08.040
Subject(s) - blastomyces dermatitidis , melanin , microbiology and biotechnology , dimorphic fungus , blastomyces , biology , itraconazole , in vitro , conidium , virulence , yeast , in vivo , pathogenesis , blastomycosis , immunology , antifungal , genetics , gene
Melanin is made by several important pathogenic fungi and is implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of mycoses. This study investigates whether the thermally dimorphic fungal pathogen Blastomyces dermatitidis produces melanin. Using techniques developed to study melanization in other fungi, we demonstrate that B. dermatitidis conidia and yeast produce melanin in vitro and that yeast cells synthesize melanin or melanin‐like pigment in vivo. Melanization reduced susceptibility to amphotericin B, but not to itraconazole or voriconazole. Since melanin is an important virulence factor in other pathogenic fungi, this pigment may affect the pathogenesis of blastomycosis.