Abstract
Mitochondrial cytochrome b genes (cyt b) of 8 strains of Candida kefyr were sequenced. Analysis of 396 bp nucleotide sequence revealed identical sequences in the intraspecies level. Phylogenetic analysis including published sequences of cyt b genes of common pathogenic Candida species revealed distinct position of C. kefyr. Either DNA or amino acid based tree conferred close relation of C. kefyr with C. glabrata. However, they differed from each other by 9.34 and 9.09%, respectively, for DNA and amino acid sequences. Specific oligonucleotide primers were designed from the differences of the closely related species for PCR based rapid identification of the fungus. These primers selectively amplified DNA only from C. kefyr; the DNAs of all other pathogenic Candida species tested, as well as those of medically relevant yeasts such as Cryptococcus neoformans, and Trichosporon cutaneum, were not amplified.
