Trichophyton mentagrophytes

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Classification

Fungi; Ascomycota; Eurotiomycetes; Onygenales; Anthrodermataceae

Species

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=523103&lvl=3&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock

T. mentagrophytes

Description and Significance

Trichophyton Mentagrophyte comes from the name "mentagre" which means "plants caught under the chin" in Greek and Latin etymology. It is also be known as Ringworm or Dermatophytes (Barthold, S. 2015).

Zoophilic fungus with distribution worldwide with a wide range of animal hosts. Rarely causes clinical disease. Dermatophytes are the leading cause of superficial fungal infections in keratinized tissues, affecting 20–25% of the global population. Trichophyton Mentagrophyte produces inflammatory skin or scalp lesions, a kerion(inflammatory, pus-filled sore) may occur in the beard or scalp as well. Colonies are a white creamy color, flat, with a powdery to granular surface. Reverse pigmentation shows up as a yellow-brown or reddish-brown color (Ellis, D. 2016).

Genome Structure

Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?

Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle

Microconidia of T. mentagrophytes are hyaline, smooth-walled, spherical to subspherical in shape, and occasional pyriform to clavate or of irregular shape. They are clavate to fusiform, and thin- or thick-walled with 4-5 cells separated by parallel cross-walls, which are laterally directly grown on the hyphae or on short pedicels. During morpho-physiological reduction and differentiation, T. mentagrophytes can assimilate phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and calcium and utilized glucose and amine nitrogen. Different from other dermatophytes, plenty of mitochondria and granules are observed in T. mentagrophytes. It has a preference for methionine as nitrogen sources and can’t utilize the trisaccharide melezitose probably due to lack of specific enzymes.

Ecology and Pathogenesis

Habitat; symbiosis; biogeochemical significance; contributions to environment.

If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Ma, Y., Deng, W., Zhang, K., Song, Y., Zhang, L., Shao, J., Liu, X., Wan, Z., Wang, X., & Li, R. (2022, September 20). Dual RNA-sequencing and LC–ms unveil specific insights on the pathogenicity of Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Retrieved November 18, 2022

Ellis, D. (2016). Trichophyton. Mycology | University of Adelaide. from https://www.adelaide.edu.au/mycology/fungal-descriptions-and-antifungal-susceptibility/dermatophytes/trichophyton#trichophyton-mentagrophytes

Bennett, J., Whary, M., & Barthold, S. (2015). Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Trichophyton Mentagrophytes - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/trichophyton-mentagrophytes

Author

Page authored by _Caroline Doby__, student of Prof. Bradley Tolar at UNC Wilmington.