ANTIFUNGAL ACTION OF Wickerhamomyces anomala - KILLER PHENOTYPE (Wa-FK) ON PATOGENIC STRAINS OF Candida

ALVAREZ C2 , DIAZ ALFARO M1 , SANGORRÍN M3 , LUCCA ME1,4 .

BIOCELL

BIOCELL

Año: 2019

Alvarez C2, Diaz Alfaro M1, Sangorrín M3, Lucca ME1,4.1PROIMI?CONICET. 2Instituto de Microbiología. FBQF, UNT. 3PROBIEN-CONICET-UNCo. Tucumán, Argentina.E-mail: bqcochal@gmail.comYeasts with killer phenotypes have antifungal activity. This was proven in phytopathogenic strains by our group. However, there are fewstudies on their action in clinical isolates, which tend to have decreased sensitivity or resistance to current antifungals. The aim of this studywas to evaluate the antifungal activity of WaFK on fungal isolates obtained from human clinical samples (NPCC, Neuquén, Argentina).WaFK was studied against 27 pathogenic Candida strains: C. albicans (10), C. glabrata (7), C. parapsilopsis (5), C. tropicalis (2), C.lusitaniae (2) y C. krusei (1). The assays were performed using the YEPD-MB agar growth inhibition technique. Each suspension of 1x106cells/mL of the pathogenic microorganism was seeded on an agar plate, and then a cross-shaped stretch mark of WaFK was performed. Itwas incubated 48 h at 28°C. The presence of inhibition halo of pathogen growth was considered as a positive sensitivity to killer toxins.The microorganisms studied were considered sensitive to the killer toxin when growth inhibition halo was observed. All the Candidaisolates faced against WaFK showed sensitivity, and a halo of growth inhibition of the pathogenic strains was observed. The resultsobtained suggest that WA-FK has a fungistatic effect rather than a fungicide one. Under the assay conditions, toxins produced by WaFKdemonstrate antifungal activity. The subsequent identification and purification of these would potentially allow the development of amycosis control agent in humans