Characterization of a repetitive element polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction chromosomal marker that discriminates Bacillus anthracis from related species.
OBJECTIVE
To identify a chromosomal marker with signature nucleotides specific for Bacillus anthracis.


RESULTS
Repetitive element polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction with BOX-A1R primer was used to discriminate 52 strains of all six species of the 'B. cereus group'. A B. anthracis signature fragment, named AC-390, was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence was homologous to that of YwfK of B. subtilis. Using two internal primers, the AC-390 fragment was sequenced from two other B. anthracis strains as well as from strains of B. cereus and B.thuringiensis which have an AC-390 fragment homologous to that of B. anthracis as shown by Southern hybridization experiments.


CONCLUSIONS
Two new signature sequences specific for B. anthracis were identified on a chromosomal fragment homologous to YwfK, a transcriptional regulator of B. subtilis.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show a new chromosomal DNA trait useful for distinguishing B. anthracis from the related species of the B. cereus group, regardless of the presence of the virulence plasmids pXO1 and pXO2.
Cherif
A
A
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e Microbiologiche, Università degli Studi, Milano, Italy.
Borin
S
S
Rizzi
A
A
Ouzari
H
H
Boudabous
A
A
Daffonchio
D
D
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
D005819:Genetic Markers