Molecular analysis of Peptostreptococcus micros isolates from patients with periodontitis.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies provide strong evidence implicating Peptostreptococcus micros in the pathogenesis of various oral infections, including oropharyngeal abscesses and periodontal disease. To date, very little is known regarding the role of P. micros in periodontal disease. Therefore, a genetic analysis was initiated to differentiate among strains of P. micros infecting periodontal patients.


METHODS
Sixty DNA samples of P. micros isolated from 15 patients with periodontal disease were evaluated. Arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reactions (AP-PCR) were performed using primer 3 (AGTCAGCCAC) and primer 13 (CAGCACCCAC). The PCR products were analyzed by gel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
The primers produced several unique patterns among the strains tested. Primer 3 resulted in 30 different patterns, whereas primer 13 resulted in 31 different patterns, which were distinct from those seen with primer 3. In 8 of 15 patients, the PCR profile was identical for all isolates cultured from that patient, indicating a clonal infection. In 4 of 15 patients, 2 different genotypes were identified. In the remaining 3 patients, all isolates cultured from these patients exhibited a unique genotype.


CONCLUSIONS
While P. micros appears to be heterogeneous throughout a population of periodontal patients, each patient is, for the most part, infected with a limited number of genotypes. These results demonstrate the genetic diversity of P. micros and the usefulness of AP-PCR for future epidemiological studies in understanding the role P. micros plays in periodontal disease pathogenesis.
Alpha
C X
CX
Dows Institute for Dental Research, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
Guthmiller
J M
JM
Cummings
H E
HE
Schomberg
L L
LL
Noorani
S M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008967:Molecular Biology; D010462:Peptostreptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000382:microbiology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D011336:Probability; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial