Rate of arabinitol production by pathogenic yeast species

D-Arabinitol is a five-carbon polyol that is produced by many fungi. Detection of the metabolite has been reported in serum from patients with invasive candidiasis. We studied the production and assimilation of arabinitol by 46 clinical isolates of yeast species. Cultures of isolates of Candida albicans (9 strains), Candida tropicalis (12 strains), Candida parapsilosis (13 strains), Candida krusei (4 strains), Candida pseudotropicalis (3 strains), Torulopsis glabrata (3 strains), and Cryptococcus neoformans (2 strains) were assayed by gas-liquid chromatography. Yeast cells were cultured at 34 degrees C in yeast nitrogen base with 3.0 g of glucose per liter. At 1.5- to 3-h intervals, cells were counted and glucose and arabinitol were measured in media filtrates. The levels of arabinitol in cultures with 7.5 X 10(6) yeast cells per ml were compared. The mean concentrations of the metabolite in C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. pseudotropicalis cultures wee 14.1, 1.6, 8.4, and 5.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. No arabinitol was detected in cultures of C. krusei, T. glabrata, or C. neoformans.