Molecular Characterization of Cyclophilin Protein Gene in Skin Normal Microflora: Malassezia furfur

Malassezia are dimorphic, lipid-dependent yeasts, which are responsible for causing several cutaneous and sys temic conditions. Although cyclophilins (CyPs) are highly conserved cytosolic proteins that catalyze the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerazation reaction before protein folding process, it has been suggestive of an allergen in a few numbers of fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus and Malassezia species. Allergenic cyclophilins are IgE-binding components, which have been characterized in other species of Malassezia; and are considered as Mala s 6 in Malassezia sympodialis. In the pre sent study we tried to identify the molecular characterization of cyclophilin gene in M. furfur. Pairs of oligonucleotide primers were designed from highly conserved regions of the gene counterparts in other fungi. The primers were then applied to amplify the primer-specific DNA fragment. Afterward, PCR product fragments were sequenced to be used in further analysis. About 573 nucleotides, encoding a polypeptide of 190 amino acids, have been sequenced. Sequence comparison was performed in Gene Bank, both for the nucleotides and their deduced amino acid sequence. It revealed a significant homol ogy with cyclophilin genes and proteins of other eukaryotic cells. The amino acid sequence of the encoded protein was about 86% identical to the sequence of cyclophilin protein from other fungi. The molecular characterization of cyclophilin gene may open the way to disclosure of the functional char acteris tics of cyclophilin and is a fundamental step for understanding the molecular basis of its pathogenesis in AEDS dis ease.