Scratching The Surface Of SKIN CONDITION
Malassezia is a type of yeast found on the skin of most wild birds and warm-blooded mammals, including humans. Often, Malassezia simply forms part of our normal epidermis flora, but also for unknown reasons it sometimes causes disease. In particular, two species of Malassezia, M. restricta, and M. globosa, can be found on all human scalps and are responsible for common dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.
Dandruff occurs when Malassezia feeds off fatty external lipids secreted naturally on the scalp, and the digested lipids lead to discomfort partly. The hyperlink between dandruff and both species was first discovered, and their genomes sequenced fully, by Dr Thomas Dawson and his team at P&G in 2007, which also developed subsequent hair care technologies to focus on them.
However, much continued to be unidentified about Malassezia. By sequencing the genomes of most known Malassezia, (including multiple strains of these most common on human being skin), the team discovered hundreds of features explaining how the fungus may be able to thrive on human skin. The dependence of most Malassezia species on lipids for survival was also established, and the theory that they are sexually active remains supported.
Through this knowledge, scientists can start to find ways to control their activity on human-being skin, and work towards the recovery of healthy epidermis. Importantly, a gene unique to Malassezia and in no other related fungi were found also. This gene is potentially the one which first allowed Malassezia to change from living only on plants to being …