ISOLATION OF FUNGAL RDNA FROM BOTTLE-NOSED-DOLPHIN SKIN INFECTED WITHLOBOA-LOBOI

Fungal-specific primers targeted for highly conserved genomic nucleic acid sequences were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to ampli fy DNA from lobomycosis lesions in a bottlenose dolphin. Sequence alig nments of this DNA possessed high homology to fungal ribosomal DNA seq uences found in the genus Cladosporium. When used for in situ hybridiz ation, the riboprobe transcribed from a cloned PCR-enerated fragment b ound to Loboa loboi cells. These results support the hypothesis that L . loboi in dolphin tissue is a fungus.