Limited variation of DNA fingerprints (IS6110 and IS1081) in Korean strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the usefulness of DNA fingerprinting for the epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from Korean tuberculosis patients.


METHODS
Comparison of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns produced by southern hybridization of PvuII-digested chromosomal DNA.


RESULTS
IS6110-associated banding patterns of 41 isolates varied considerably, containing 1-13 copies. The RFLP pattern of the epidemiologically related M. tuberculosis isolates was identical in 8 of 10 groups of close contact patients. No noticeable differences in RFLP were observed between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant isolates. IS1081-containing restriction fragment analysis of 52 isolates showed 6 different banding patterns, and the C type was found dominant in Korea. Identification of G type M. tuberculosis, which has a 8.0 kb IS1081-containing PvuII fragment, is unusual because it has been observed only in M. bovis BCG so far.


CONCLUSIONS
IS6110 was a very useful tool for tracing the transmission route of tuberculosis; IS1081 was also useful for subdividing M. tuberculosis into several groups.
Huh
Y J
YJ
Department of Bacteriology, Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, Korean National Tuberculosis Association, Seoul, Korea.
Ahn
D I
DI
Kim
S J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission
D004269:DNA, Bacterial