• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    The multiple proteolytic enzymes of two microsporum species : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Microbiology at Massey University

    Icon
    View/Open Full Text
    01_front.pdf (1.241Mb)
    02_whole.pdf (11.77Mb)
    Export to EndNote
    Abstract
    Dermatophyte infections can be contracted from animals, humans or from the soil. In the genus Microsporum some species commonly are associated with cats & dogs but also often cause infections in humans. Others are regarded as non-pathogenic & are commonly isolated from the soil. The present studies investigated the production of proteolytic enzymes by the zoophilic species M.canis & the geophilic species M.cookei, in various cultural conditions which might affect expression of such enzymes, in an attempt to detect differences between the two that could be associated with the ability of M.canis to invade skin in vivo. Biochemical assays showed M.canis produced higher azocollytic & elastase activity in a keratin containing medium(BSW) than in Sabourauds Broth(SDB). In contrast, azocollytic & elastase activity of M.cookei in the two media was relatively similar. Azocollytic & elastase activity of both species peaked in the pH range 7-10 & azocollytic activity demonstrated highest activity around 45°C in both media. Both species produced some keratinolytic activity in BSW but not in SDB. Inhibition studies of azocollytic & elastase activity revealed the presence of an aspartic elastase with little or no azocollytic activity, which also was not detected using a substrate(gelatin) SDS-PAGE technique. Other proteinase types found were serine, cysteine & metalloproteinases. Using the gelatin-SDS-PAGE technique, the mode of culture(shake & stationary) & the effect of substrate, time & temperature were analysed to compare the effects these factors may have on proteolytic enzyme expression between the two species.Substrate proved to be the most important factor in the expression of gelatinases. Mode of culture in SDB demonstrated that some proteinases were expressed in shake culture sooner than in stationary cultures. M.canis in both SDB & BSW produced 6 bands between 85,000 Da & 13,000 Da. M.cookei in SDB produced 7 bands between 64,000 Da to 19,000 Da but in BSW only 5 bands between 61,500 Da to 19,000 Da. Inhibition studies revealed that both species expressed several metalloproteinases & serine proteinases in BSW which were not expressed in SDB cultures. It is suggested that these proteinases may be important factors in the ability of dermatophytes to colonise keratin & possibly, in the case of M.canis, to invade skin in vivo.
    Date
    1995
    Author
    Palmer, Jon Stuart
    Rights
    The Author
    Publisher
    Massey University
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10179/10880
    Collections
    • Theses and Dissertations
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Copyright © Massey University
    | Contact Us | Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1-beta1
     

     

    Tweets by @Massey_Research
    Information PagesContent PolicyDepositing content to MROCopyright and Access InformationDeposit LicenseDeposit License SummaryTheses FAQFile FormatsDoctoral Thesis Deposit

    Browse

    All of MROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Copyright © Massey University
    | Contact Us | Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1-beta1