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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2008, p. 255-264, Vol. 46, No. 1
0095-1137/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.01721-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Growth and Pigment Production on D-Tryptophan Medium by Cryptococcus gattii, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans{triangledown}

Stuart Chaskes,1* Susana Frases,2 Michael Cammer,3 Gary Gerfen,4 and Arturo Casadevall2,5

Department of Biology, Farmingdale State College, Farmingdale, New York 11735,1 Departments of Microbiology and Immunology,2 Medicine,5 Analytical Imaging Facility and Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center,3 Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 104614

Received 29 August 2007/ Returned for modification 11 October 2007/ Accepted 28 October 2007

Given the increasing prevalence of cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus gattii (serotypes B and C) strains, there is a need for rapid and reliable tests that discriminate C. gattii from Cryptococcus neoformans (serotypes A, D, and AD). Seventy-two C. neoformans strains, sixty-seven C. gattii strains, and five Candida albicans strains were analyzed for their ability to grow and produce pigment on minimal D-tryptophan D-proline (m-DTDP) medium, on yeast carbon base D-tryptophan D-proline (YCB-DTDP) medium, and on fructose D-tryptophan glycine (m-FDTG) medium. Of the C. gattii and C. neoformans isolates, 94% and 0% grew on m-DTDP agar, respectively, and 98% and 0% grew in YCB-DTDP medium, respectively. C. gattii produced large amounts of brown intracellular pigment(s) on m-DTDP agar and smaller amounts of yellow-brown (amber) extracellular pigment(s). C. albicans grew on both media and produced a pink photoactivated pigment on m-DTDP agar. C. gattii produced large amounts of brown intracellular pigments on the differential medium m-FDTG, whereas C. neoformans produced smaller amounts of the brown pigments and C. albicans produced a pink pigment. The pigments produced by C. gattii from D-tryptophan were distinct and were not related to melanin formation from 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. Thin-layer chromatography of the methanol-extracted C. gattii cells detected four different pigments, including brown (two types), yellow, and pink-purple compounds. We conclude that tryptophan-derived pigments are not melanins and that growth on m-DTDP or YCB-DTDP agar can be used to rapidly differentiate C. gattii from C. neoformans.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Farmingdale State College, 2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735. Phone: (631) 420-2469. Fax: (631) 420-3661. E-mail: chaskesj{at}farmingdale.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 7 November 2007.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2008, p. 255-264, Vol. 46, No. 1
0095-1137/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.01721-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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