title: Population genetics and strain typing of microorganisms: how to detect departures from panmixia without individualizing alleles and loci.
abstract: The actual impact of genetic exchange in natural populations of microorganisms is presently under debate. It is indispensable to precisely estimate this parameter in order to assess the stability in space and time of these microorganisms' genotypes, and hence, their epidemiological and medical relevance. Population genetic concepts make it possible to address this question rigorously. Nevertheless, the analyses are made difficult by the fact that very often, the genetic markers used do not allow discrimination of individual alleles and loci. This work presents some linkage disequilibrium tests usable even under these conditions, and hence applicable with any class of marker (isoenzymes, RFLP, RAPD, DNA fingerprinting).
authors.affiliation: UMR CNRS/ORSTOM 9926, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tibayrenc
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005827:Genetics, Microbial; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers