Genomic and proteinic characterization of strain S, a rickettsia isolated from Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks in Armenia.
Strain S, a spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia isolated from Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected in Armenia, was identified. Microimmunofluorescence, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel protein electrophoresis and Western immunoblotting, PCR and then restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were used to compare strain S with reference isolates. Strain S was found to possess proteinic, antigenic, and genomic patterns which were unique among SFG rickettsiae. Strain S is characterized by its high degree of pathogenicity for experimental animals, but its role as a potential human pathogen should be determined. The role of R. sanguineus ticks in the epidemiology of SFG rickettsiae is discussed.
Eremeeva
M
M
Unité des Rickettsies, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique EP J0054, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France.
Balayeva
N
N
Roux
V
V
Ignatovich
V
V
Kotsinjan
M
M
Raoult
D
D
D000818:Animals; D001136:Armenia; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S