Electrophoretic karyotypes and chromosome numbers in Candida species.

The electrophoretic karyotypes of five Candida albicans isolates and of five other Candida species have been determined, using orthogonal field alternating gel electrophoresis (OFAGE). None of the C. albicans isolates had the same electrophoretic karyotype. By comparing all five strains, we arrived at a chromosome number of nine to ten, but since the organism is diploid, we cannot distinguish genetically different chromosomes from homologues which resolve. We determined minimal chromosome numbers of 9 for Candida stellatoidea, 10 for C. glabrata and 6 for C. guilliermondii.