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PubMed2002

Uncommitted Xenopus blastula cells can be directed to uniform muscle gene expression by gradient interpretation and a community effect.

The animal cap cells of Xenopus blastulae behave as multi-potent stem cells in so far as they can differentiate along many unrelated pathways according to the kind and amount of signal factor that they experience. At first, animal cap cells activate early zygotic genes across a broad range of TGFbeta concentrations; soon after this, they activate later genes more intensely and over a narrow concentration range. Here we show that uncommitted blastula cells can be directed, by the sequential influence of a particular concentration of a TGFbeta morphogen and an FGF-mediated community effect, to form a homogeneous single cell type. As a result of these two signalling processes, an entire population of animal cap cells can be converted, in the absence of other signals, to a uniform population of one tissue type. Mesoderm cells that experience a particular concentration of activin increase their XMyoD expression by 10-fold and become distinct from neighbouring cells that received lower or higher concentrations of activin. The signalling processes that we employ here may be important in normal development and useful in guiding stem cell differentiation.

Activins↗

PubMed1995

B cell differentiation: role of E2A and Pax5/BSAP transcription factors.

Transcriptional regulation of lineage specific genes has the ability to dictate both the proliferative and differentiative potentials of a pluipotent precursor cell. The E2A and Pax5/BSAP genes encode transcription factors which bind to B cell specific promoters and enhancers and guide the development of immature, but committed cells into mature B lymphocytes which express and secrete immunoglobulins. In vitro analysis has consistently suggested that these proteins regulate distinct classes of genes during B cell differentiation; however, recent targeted gene disruption and transgene expression in mice has indicated that these genes may actually be components of a single regulatory mechanism which is essential for both B lymphocyte differentiation and proliferation.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Detection of PML-RAR alpha in patients with APL during follow-up period.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the significance of PML-RAR alpha transcripts in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) during remission period and to follow up the patients through monitoring aberrant gene expression. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 17 patients with APL (5 females and 12 males). Another 19 APL patients during relapse served as control. RNA extraction was obtained through the single-step method. By means of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the PML-RAR alpha was detected in the sample mRNA. RESULTS: Nine out of 10 patients with complete remission (CR) duration shorter than 3 years were positive. Four cases became negative and three remained positive among 7 cases in a long remission of over 3 years. The difference of the positive rate of PML-RAR alpha transcripts between the 2 groups was significant (P < 0.05). Four among 12 positive cases relapsed. No evidence of relapse was present in the 5 negative patients after 9.6 +/- 3.9-month follow-up. Further treatment was therefore given to the 4 positive patients whose treatment was already ceased at that time. By this management they were all in CR during the following 10-month observation. CONCLUSIONS: RT-PCR detection for PML-RAR alpha transcripts was useful in monitoring MRD and guiding further treatment to obtain a long remission. Persistently positive transcripts were closely associated with the relapse.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2025

Whole-Genome Conservation Analysis for the Specific and Accurate Detection of Influenza A and B Viruses and Respiratory Syncytial Virus by Quadruplex RT-qPCR.

Influenza virus (Flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are the primary pathogens responsible for acute respiratory infections. Both viruses are prone to mutations due to the seasonal epidemic, leading to an increasing rate of false-negative results. In this study, comprehensive meta-analyses of the genomes focusing on most conserved fragments have been performed for the four seasonal influenza viruses (two subtypes of Flu A: H1N1 and H3N2; two subtypes of Flu B: Yamagata and Victoria) and the two types of RSV: RSVA and RSVB), respectively. The most conserved sequences of 200 bp were identified as targets of the designed primer/probe sets for RT-qPCR were screened and optimized. Good sensitivities of the optimized primer/probe sets were obtained with the limits of detections of 2.95, 2.82, 1.57, 2.8, 1.19, and 2.12 copies/reaction for H1N1, H3N2, Yamagata, Victoria, RSVA and RSVB, respectively. Eventually, quadruplex qPCR using the four designed primer/probe sets can achieve simultaneous screening of the four viruses at a single tube. Furthermore, the assay's good performance in detecting target viruses from clinical throat swab samples demonstrated its potential for diagnosis of these viruses. The method, based on the identified conserved sequences and primer/probe sets, can effectively reduce false-negative results and rapidly respond to these viruses during respiratory disease outbreaks, or even before their widespread emergence, which aid in preventing outbreaks and guiding clinical treatment.

Humans↗

PubMed2003

Predicting the therapeutic response in patients with chronic hepatitis C: the role of viral kinetic studies.

A substantial proportion of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 still does not respond to pegylated interferon-alfa/ribavirin (IFN/RBV) therapy. Factors which identify potential non-responders are needed to limit exposure to drugs in patients unlikely to benefit from treatment and to save health care resources. Host predictive factors have a low negative predictive value. In contrast, viral factors have a high precision in predicting outcome of therapy. Viral kinetics are the basis for the study of response of therapy. The decrease in viral load within 24 h after administration of a single test dose of conventional IFN reflects the IFN-sensitivity of the virus strain and predicts the outcome of conventional IFN/RBV therapy even before treatment with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 83%. In contrast to conventional IFN, the two available PEG-IFN preparations differ considerably in how they suppress viral replication, and cut-off values have to be prospectively established separately for each drug. Patients without an early virological response (HCV-RNA either undetectable or decrease by >or=2 log10 after 12 weeks) (EVR), do not achieve a sustained virological response (SVR; negative predictive value: 97-98%). Thus, in the absence of an EVR, treatment should be stopped. The outcome of PEG-IFN alfa-2a/RBV combination therapy is dependent on the rapidity of the virological response. Patients who become HCV-RNA negative after 4 weeks have the best chance of achieving an SVR. The rapidity of viral elimination may be a useful guide to tailoring the length of treatment in patients with an EVR.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed2002

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cardiac myosin binding protein-C knockout mice.

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) is an inherited autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in sarcomeric proteins. Among these, mutations that affect myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C), an abundant component of the thick filaments, account for 20% to 30% of all mutations linked to FHC. However, the mechanisms by which MyBP-C mutations cause disease and the function of MyBP-C are not well understood. Therefore, to assess deficits due to elimination of MyBP-C, we used gene targeting to produce a knockout mouse that lacks MyBP-C in the heart. Knockout mice were produced by deletion of exons 3 to 10 from the endogenous cardiac (c) MyBP-C gene in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells and subsequent breeding of chimeric founder mice to obtain mice heterozygous (+/-) and homozygous (-/-) for the knockout allele. Wild-type (+/+), cMyBP-C(+/-), and cMyBP-C(-/-) mice were born in accordance with Mendelian inheritance ratios, survived into adulthood, and were fertile. Western blot analyses confirmed that cMyBP-C was absent in hearts of homozygous knockout mice. Whereas cMyBP-C(+/-) mice were indistinguishable from wild-type littermates, cMyBP-C(-/-) mice exhibited significant cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac function, assessed using 2-dimensionally guided M-mode echocardiography, showed significantly depressed indices of diastolic and systolic function only in cMyBP-C(-/-) mice. Ca2+ sensitivity of tension, measured in single skinned myocytes, was reduced in cMyBP-C(-/-) but not cMyBP-C(+/-) mice. These results establish that cMyBP-C is not essential for cardiac development but that the absence of cMyBP-C results in profound cardiac hypertrophy and impaired contractile function.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

PubMed2025

CRISPRoff epigenome editing for programmable gene silencing in human cell lines and primary T cells.

The advent of CRISPR-based technologies has enabled the rapid advancement of programmable gene manipulation in cells, tissues, and whole organisms. An emerging platform for targeted gene perturbation is epigenetic editing, the direct editing of chemical modifications on DNA and histones that ultimately results in repression or activation of the targeted gene. In contrast to CRISPR nucleases, epigenetic editors modulate gene expression without inducing DNA breaks or altering the genomic sequence of host cells. Recently, we developed the CRISPRoff epigenetic editing technology that simultaneously establishes DNA methylation and repressive histone modifications at targeted gene promoters. Transient expression of CRISPRoff and the accompanying single guide RNAs in mammalian cells results in transcriptional repression of targeted genes that is memorized heritably by cells through cell division and differentiation. Here, we describe our protocol for the delivery of CRISPRoff through plasmid DNA transfection, as well as the delivery of CRISPRoff mRNA, into transformed human cell lines and primary immune cells. We also provide guidance on evaluating target gene silencing and highlight key considerations when utilizing CRISPRoff for gene perturbations. Our protocols are broadly applicable to other CRISPR-based epigenetic editing technologies, as programmable genome manipulation tools continue to evolve rapidly.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Mitochondrial genome of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir japonica sinenesis (Brachyura: Thoracotremata: Grapsoidea) reveals a novel gene order and two target regions of gene rearrangements.

We determined the complete 16,354 bp mitochondrial DNA sequence of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir japonica sinesnesis. It consists of 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs, typical of metazoan mitochondrial genomes. With respect to the ancestral crustacean mt gene order, a PCG, the rRNAs, and 12 of the tRNAs appear to be rearranged. This rearrangement is novel in the arthropods and suggests an accelerated rate of mt genome rearrangement in this brachyuran lineage based on the relative rate of gene rearrangement. It is typical in arthropods that all of the rearranged genes or gene blocks take place at both nad3-nad5 and nad5-nad4 gene junctions. Such occurrence additionally revealed two target regions of frequent rearrangement in mitochondrial genomes of decapods, even in that of the non-hexapod arthropods according to our comparative studies among 32 taxa. Additionally, selective constraint on sharing the single introducing location is apparent for most of the rearrangements that occurred at the nad3-nad5 gene junction of these taxa. The gene arrangement features at both gene junctions allow the reconstruction of relationships among the advanced decapods. These features are therefore characteristic molecular markers in phylogenetic inference. The genomic organization differences at both gene junctions provide new evidence of extremely divergence between Heterotremata and Thoracotremata in brachyuran crabs. A duplication/loss (random and nonrandom)-recombination model was proposed to account for the generation of the gene order in E. japonica sinesnesis under the guide of intergenic spacers.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Multi-sampling allows intra-tumoral heterogeneity querying and vulnerability profiling in glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a devastating cancer with limited treatment options, largely due to its heterogeneity. While supramaximal resection has recently provided survival benefits, therapeutic profiling of different tumor compartments, particularly its infiltrative edge remains largely unexplored. METHODS: Here, we leveraged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided multi-sampling, collecting 2 cores and 2 margins per case, to query GBM heterogeneity. Whole-exome and RNA-seq with drug testing in two patient-derived 3D models were used to reveal similarities and differences in genomic and transcriptomic makeups, cellular compositions, and drug responses across cores and margins. Bioinformatics interrogations further identified response biomarkers. RESULTS: Mutation analysis showed that oncogenes exhibited a higher degree of spatial heterogeneity than tumor suppressor genes, regardless of MRI status. While the mesenchymal transcriptional subtype with extracellular matrix remodeling, stress response, and immune programs were preferentially enriched in enhancing cores, proneural tumors with neurological processes favored non-enhancing margins. Using a 15-drug GBM-targeted panel, ERK (ulixertinib) and PI3K pathway (paxalisib, CC-115) inhibitors showed preferential efficacy in enhancing cores and non-enhancing margins, respectively. The anti-apoptosis, pan-Bcl2 agent navitoclax and the epigenetic drug trotabresib represented the most effective, tumor-wide monotherapies. Importantly, drug combinations generally outperformed single agents across all regions. CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates the regional heterogeneity of therapeutic vulnerabilities in GBM ex vivo, showing various drugs with tumor-wide or MRI-enhancement informed activity. These findings offer preclinical bases of numerous monotherapies and drug combinations for future clinical trial design.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Multiplexed RT-LAMP Assays in Handheld Devices for In-Situ Detection of Chikungunya, Dengue, Mayaro, and Zika Viruses.

Mosquito-borne viruses pose a significant global health challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings where multiple viruses often cause illnesses with similar symptoms that require different treatment. We introduce the first 7-plex reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay in a hand-held device capable of detecting the presence of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), dengue virus serotypes (DENV 1-4), Mayaro virus (MAYV), and Zika virus (ZIKV) in a single test. If the result is positive from the single-plex device for the 7-plex assay, 3-plex and 4-plex devices are then used to identify the exact virus within a specimen. In-situ detection is achieved by integrating valve-enabled, paper-based sample preparation with fluorescence detection using a blue LED flashlight as a light source and a yellow plastic film as a filter, allowing visual discrimination between positive and negative samples by the naked eye or by recording images using a smart phone. The detection limits ranged from 2 genome equivalents (GE)/reaction (for ZIKV) to 92 GE/reaction (for DENV-3) across 7 types of viruses when 1 μL of viral RNA was used. We observed 90% overall agreement between the point-of-care (POC) device and lab-based reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) when blinded clinical specimens were tested. This assay and device have a potential to address critical surveillance gaps in endemic regions, enabling timely detection of multiple mosquito-borne viruses to guide appropriate clinical management and public health countermeasures in settings where laboratory resources are scarce.

Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques↗

PubMed2002

Immunopurified small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein particles pseudouridylate rRNA independently of their association with phosphorylated Nopp140.

The isomerization of up to 100 uridines to pseudouridines (Psis) in eukaryotic rRNA is guided by a similar number of box H/ACA small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), each forming a unique small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein particle (snoRNP) with the same four core proteins, NAP57 (also known as dyskerin or Cbf5p), GAR1, NHP2, and NOP10. Additionally, the nucleolar and Cajal body protein Nopp140 (Srp40p) associates with the snoRNPs. To understand the role of these factors in pseudouridylation, we established an in vitro assay system. Short site-specifically (32)P-labeled rRNA substrates were incubated with subcellular fractions, and the conversion of uridine to Psi was monitored by thin-layer chromatography after digestion to single nucleotides. Immunopurified box H/ACA core particles were sufficient for the reaction. SnoRNPs associated quantitatively and reversibly with Nopp140. However, pseudouridylation activity was independent of Nopp140, consistent with a chaperoning role for this highly phosphorylated protein. Although up to 14 bp between the snoRNA and rRNA were required for the in vitro reaction, rRNA pseudouridylation and release occurred in the absence of ATP and magnesium. These data suggest that substrate release takes place without RNA helicase activity but may be aided by the snoRNP core proteins.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Palaeoceanographic implications of genetic variation in living North Atlantic Neogloboquadrina pachyderma.

The shells of the planktonic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina pachyderma have become a classical tool for reconstructing glacial-interglacial climate conditions in the North Atlantic Ocean. Palaeoceanographers utilize its left- and right-coiling variants, which exhibit a distinctive reciprocal temperature and water mass related shift in faunal abundance both at present and in late Quaternary sediments. Recently discovered cryptic genetic diversity in planktonic foraminifers now poses significant questions for these studies. Here we report genetic evidence demonstrating that the apparent 'single species' shell-based records of right-coiling N. pachyderma used in palaeoceanographic reconstructions contain an alternation in species as environmental factors change. This is reflected in a species-dependent incremental shift in right-coiling N. pachyderma shell calcite delta18O between the Last Glacial Maximum and full Holocene conditions. Guided by the percentage dextral coiling ratio, our findings enhance the use of delta18O records of right-coiling N. pachyderma for future study. They also highlight the need to genetically investigate other important morphospecies to refine their accuracy and reliability as palaeoceanographic proxies.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Low-dose indinavir in combination with low-dose ritonavir: steady-state pharmacokinetics and long-term clinical outcome follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and pharmacokinetics of indinavir (IDV)/ritonavir (RTV) 400/100 mg twice a day in combination with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. METHODS: The study was retrospective with a prospective pharmacokinetic study at a single centre. All HIV-1-infected patients who started the regimen in the period from January 1999 to February 2001 were included in the study. Plasma HIV RNA and CD4 cell counts were recorded from baseline to week 120. Results were evaluated as intention-to-treat and on-treatment analyses with separate analyses for protease inhibitor naive and experienced patients. Patients who were still on the regimen by August 2001 were asked to participate in a pharmacokinetic evaluation. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients started treatment with the regimen (median follow-up: 116 weeks). The percentage of patients with below 20 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL was 70.0% at week 120 and the median CD4 cell count increased from 320 to 607 cells/microL (P=0.062). The median IDV morning and evening Cmin were 434 ng/mL and 220 ng/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with the IDV/RTV 400/100 mg regimen appears to be efficacious for up to 2 years. However, rather low IDV Cmin suggests that the regimen should be evaluated further before its widespread use and that the regimen probably should be guided by pharmacokinetic evaluation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Nutrient-gene interaction: metabolic genotype-phenotype relationship.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)/USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a science and population evidence-based guide on diet and physical activity, providing advice and recommendations to promote a healthier lifestyle and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer. These recommendations are supported by the comprehensive evidence-based review on diet and cancer prevention conducted by the American Institute for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, World Health Organization/International Agency for Research on Cancer, and others. However, influencing dietary effects are the individual genetic predispositions that are the basis for considerable interindividual variations in cancer risk within the population and in nutrient homeostasis, which is maintained by genomic-nutrient and metabolic-phenotype interactions. Although genetics is an important component, it accounts for only a portion of this variation. An individual's overall phenotype, including health status, is achieved and maintained by the sum of metabolic activities functioning under differing circumstances within the life cycle and the complex interactions among genotype, metabolic phenotype, and the environment. In this postgenomic era, high-throughput groups of technologies in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics measure and analyze DNA sequences, RNA transcripts, proteins, and nutrient-metabolic fluxes in a single experiment. These advances have transformed biomarker studies on nutrient-gene interactions from a reductionist concept into a holistic practice in which many regulated genes involved in metabolism, along with its metabolic phenotypes, can be measured through functional genomics and metabolic profiling. The overall integration of data and information from the building blocks of metabolism-based nutrient-gene interaction can lead to future individualized dietary recommendations to diminish cancer risk.

Diet↗

PubMed2026

Creating bottom-up RNA transfer vehicles from synthetic protein assemblies.

Evolution guides biological systems to populate ecological niches, with viruses among the most successful examples of this principle. Viruses evolved over billions of years to efficiently transfer genetic information. Although viruses are highly diverse, most have converged towards remarkable similarity in the size and shape of their capsids1,2. By contrast, generative models for protein design enable the creation of protein architectures that are absent from nature3-5. Here we investigate whether protein assemblies designed by artificial intelligence can be functionalized to construct nucleic acid transport vehicles that are independent of evolutionary trajectories. By combining natural protein domains with synthetic protein assemblies, we create more than 100 bottom-up RNA transfer vehicles with unique sizes and shapes. These vehicles surpass the RNA transfer efficiency of widely used delivery vehicles by several orders of magnitude. In addition, we demonstrate that their tropism can be programmed by incorporation of computationally designed peptide binders and use them to deliver therapeutically relevant cargo RNAs into a wide range of cellular models. We show the in vivo biodistribution of one of these vehicles in a mouse at near-single-cell resolution, confirm its safety, and use it to perform a gene-editing treatment strategy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in patient-derived cells and a pig. Our work demonstrates how proteins created by generative artificial intelligence can be harnessed for the rational engineering of RNA transport systems with the desired properties by overcoming the limitations of natural protein diversity.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2025

Multi-omics analysis reveals distinct spatial compartmentalization of lung repair niches in pediatric ARDS.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS), often triggered by viral infections, is a life-threatening condition. Despite its severity, children demonstrate significantly better survival rates and superior lung repair compared to adults. However, the mechanisms underlying this age-specific advantage remain incompletely understood. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a pilot multi-omics study of influenza-associated PARDS integrating single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of pediatric lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), spatial transcriptomics, and plasma proteomics. Analyses were harmonized with the Human Lung Cell Atlas (HLCA) reference, reanalysis of public pediatric PARDS airway scRNA-seq, and contextual comparisons to adult lethal COVID-19 lung. RESULTS: Tissue scRNA-seq and spatial data indicated outcome-linked divergence in PARDS. Survivor showed spatially restricted repair with preserved alveolar type II (AT2) cells, AT2-to-alveolar type I (AT1) differentiation signatures, and higher KRT17, whereas fatal case and adults exhibited diffuse immune activation with pro-fibrotic and pro-apoptotic signaling. In BALF, KRT17-positive airway stress–repair epithelial cells (hillock-like) increased from the acute to recovery phase, and plasma proteomics showed higher circulating KRT17 in survivors. HLCA-based label transfer strengthened cell-type definitions and enabled pediatric–adult comparisons suggesting biological and developmental differences; the adult lethal COVID-19 atlas provided a benchmark with attenuated epithelial repair and prominent collagen CTHRC1-pathologic fibroblasts. Fibroblast programs were regionally compartmentalized, with injury-enriched CTHRC1+ states versus alveolar fibroblasts in preserved areas, and showed stronger injury–homeostasis anti-correlation in fatalities. Myeloid remodeling included BALF transitions from FCN1-high inflammatory states toward FABP4-positive resident-like states, consistent with public pediatric datasets showing reduced inflammatory and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) modules and severity-linked increases in aged neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot multi-omics case series outlines putative pediatric lung repair niches in influenza-associated PARDS. KRT17-positive transitional epithelium, preserved AT2 differentiation, and restoration of resident-like macrophages may align with recovery, whereas diffuse immune activation and CTHRC1-enriched fibroblast programs may accompany worse outcomes. HLCA-guided annotations and adult benchmarks indicate possible age-related differences, warranting validation in larger multi-center cohorts.

Humans↗

PubMed2002

Exclusive interaction of the 15.5 kD protein with the terminal box C/D motif of a methylation guide snoRNP.

Box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) direct site-specific methylation of ribose 2'-hydroxyls in ribosomal and spliceosomal RNAs. To identify snoRNA functional groups contributing to assembly of an active box C/D snoRNP in Xenopus oocytes, we developed an in vivo nucleotide analog interference mapping procedure. Deleterious substitutions consistent with requirements for binding the 15.5 kD protein clustered within the terminal box C/D motif only. In vitro analyses confirmed a single interaction site for recombinant 15.5 kD protein and identified the exocyclic amine of A89 in box D as essential for binding. Our results argue that the 15.5 kD protein interacts asymmetrically with the two sets of conserved box C/D elements and that its binding is primarily responsible for the stability of box C/D snoRNAs in vivo.

Adenosine↗

PubMed2000

Rapid identification of medically important Candida to species level by polymerase chain reaction and single-strand conformational polymorphism.

Invasive fungal disease has taken a great toll on immunocompromised patients. With the emergence of fluconazole and amphotericin B resistance, the rapid identification of fungi to species level is of clinical relevance in guiding appropriate antifungal therapy. Among these opportunistic fungi, Candida species are the most commonly encountered. We had developed a molecular method utilizing single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) to delineate different patterns on a 260-bp amplicon from the 28S rRNA gene from six medically important Candida species. The SSCP banding patterns obtained from a total of 52 isolates were sufficiently unique to allow distinction between the species, thus indicated a high level of specificity. This method of PCR-SSCP can provide a simple and specific method for the rapid identification of medically important Candida to species level.

Candida↗