Classification of yeasts of the genus malassezia by sequencing of the ITS and D1/D2 Regions of DNA

Abstract

Yeasts of the genus Malassezia are known commensals of human beings and warm-blooded animals. Currently, they are considered emergent pathogen yeasts and have been described as causative agents of systemic opportunistic infections. An accurate identification of Malassezia spp. is of relevance to determine the role each species plays in the development of cutaneous and systemic infections. The taxonomy of Malassezia spp. has been a matter of discussion since the creation of the genus by Baillon in 1889. The recent development of molecular techniques has improved the classification of this genus, allowing a more accurate differentiation among different species. The taxonomic status is still under expansion, some new species have been appended recently and more will be probably added in the near future. However, descriptions of new species should be done in a standardized manner, including phenotypic and molecular features. We describe the current classification of Malassezia spp. yeasts based on the study and sequencing of ITS and D1/D2 gene of the rDNA and highlight the importance of these regions of the DNA as an easy tool for the identification of this genus. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.