title: Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene: a rapid tool for identification of Bacillus anthracis.
abstract: In a bioterrorism event, a tool is needed to rapidly differentiate Bacillus anthracis from other closely related spore-forming Bacillus species. During the recent outbreak of bioterrorism-associated anthrax, we sequenced the 16S rRNA generom these species to evaluate the potential of 16S rRNA gene sequencing as a diagnostic tool. We found eight distinct 16S types among all 107 16S rRNA gene seqs fuences that differed from each other at 1 to 8 positions (0.06% to 0.5%). All 86 B. anthracis had an identical 16S gene sequence, designated type 6; 16S type 10 was seen in all B. thuringiensis strains; six other 16S types were found among the 10 B. cereus strains. This report describes the first demonstration of an exclusive association of a distinct 16S sequence with B. anthracis. Consequently, we were able to rapidly identify suspected isolates and to detect the B. anthracis 16S rRNA gene directly from culture-negative clinical specimens from seven patients with laboratory-confirmed anthrax.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Desease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. cls9@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Claudio T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sacchi
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.forename: Leonard W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morey
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steigerwalt
authors.forename: Arijana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boras
authors.forename: Robin S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Weyant
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Popovic
mesh_terms: D000881:Anthrax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S