Direct PCR of Cryptococcus neoformans MAT alpha and MATa pheromones to determine mating type, ploidy, and variety: a tool for epidemiological and molecular pathogenesis studies

Cryptococcus neoformans MAT alpha and MATa pheromones were amplified by dir ect PCR Nucleotide sequence analyses revealed unique restriction enzyme sit es. Sixty strains were used to devise a restriction fragment length polymor phism typing scheme that yielded three variety-specific patterns. Additiona lly, pheromone-specific PCR allowed easier identification of diploid C. neo formans strains than flow cytometry.