Numerical analysis of electrophoretic protein patterns of methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus.
A total of 50 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including 41 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, were characterized by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell proteins. The protein patterns contained 40-50 discrete bands and were highly reproducible. Partial patterns were used as the basis of a computer-assisted numerical analysis. The MRSA strains clustered into four phenons at the 83% similarity level; and further division of phenon 1, at the 86% similarity level, resulted in a total of six clusters. All of the MRSA isolates from an MRSA epidemic in the United Kingdom were found to cluster in phenon 1 together with 9 of the 12 MRSA isolates from eastern Australia and 3 other MRSA isolates from the United Kingdom. The remaining three eastern Australian isolates clustered separately in phenon 2. Phenon 3 appeared to be exclusive to strains that were both susceptible and resistant to methicillin and that reacted with group V phages, and phenon 4 comprised 11 isolates, all of which were other MRSA isolates from the United Kingdom. We conclude that computer-assisted numerical analysis by high-resolution sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of whole-cell proteins provides additional criteria for the study of the epidemiology and the evolution of MRSA.
Costas
M
M
National Collection of Type Cultures, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, United Kingdom.
Cookson
B D
BD
Talsania
H G
HG
Owen
R J
RJ
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008838:Microcomputers; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D012984:Software; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008712:Methicillin