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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 2001, p. 1416-1421, Vol. 39, No. 4
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of
Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong,1
and Department of Microbiology, Tuen Mun
Hospital,2 Hong Kong
Received 5 September 2000/Returned for modification 12 November
2000/Accepted 11 January 2001
Thirty-two isolates of the dimorphic fungus Penicillium
marneffei were studied for their biochemical properties. All
isolates possessed the enzyme urease and were inhibited by 500 mg of
cycloheximide per liter. No strain fermented glucose, and thus no
strain fermented any of the other five sugars tested. All
assimilated glucose, maltose, and cellobiose; only one of the isolates
did not assimilate salicin. Totals of 65.6, 84.4, and 71.9% of the
isolates assimilated trehalose, xylose, and nitrate, respectively.
Twelve strains possessed the enzyme
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.4.1416-1421.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Biotyping of Penicillium marneffei
Reveals Concentration-Dependent Growth Inhibition by
Galactose
-galactosidase. Overall, 17 different biotypes were recognized, but no association was found
between the human immunodeficiency virus status of the patients and the
biotype. A novel finding of concentration-dependent growth inhibition
of P. marneffei by galactose is described. Inhibition of
growth occurred at a low concentration of galactose (0.015 to 0.25%)
when galactose was the sole carbon source in the medium. Morphological
changes of the fungal cells were observed in the presence of galactose.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of
Infectious Disease, Department of Microbiology, Hong Kong
University-Pasteur Research Centre, University Pathology Building,
Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Rd., Hong Kong. Phone: (852) 2855 4892. Fax: (852) 2855 1241. E-mail: kyyuen{at}hkucc.hku.hk.
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