Differentiation of Candida strains by lectin-mediated agglutination kinetics

The lectin-mediated agglutination kinetics of Candida albicans, Candida tro picalis, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Candida kefyr, and Candida parap silosis strains isolated from immunocompromised patients was in investigate d. The rate of the lectin-induced cell agglutination depends on the physiol ogical state of the yeast cell population. Therefore, the Candida strains h ave to be cultivated and investigated under identical conditions. Lentil le ctin (prepared from Lens culinaris), castor lectin, and concanavalin A were used. Different yeast species showed different agglutination behaviour. Fu rthermore, the lectin-mediated rate of agglutination is a strain-specific p roperty which makes it possible to distinguish between different yeast stra ins of the same species. It is concluded that the lectin-mediated agglutina tion kinetics allows reproducible differentiation of yeast strains of the s ame species.