[The 102 kb pigmentation (pgm) locus of Yersinia pestis isolated from Microtus brandti].
OBJECTIVE
To find out the differences between 102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis isolated from Microtus brandti with of other types, and the characters of Yersinia pestis isolated from Microtus brandti caused by their makeup of the 102 kb pgm locus.


METHODS
102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis isolated from Microtus brandti and Yersinia pestis isolated from Marmota himalayana were amplified by polymerase chain reation (PCR) with 25 pair of nested primers. The PCR products of one pair of primer were obviously different, and then cloned and sequenced. Sequences were searched against current protein and nucleotide databases, using BLAST.


RESULTS
The 102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis isolated from Microtus brandti was devoid one IS100. In addition, it had more copies than other types in the similar variable-number tandem repeat sequences.


CONCLUSIONS
The 102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis was different from that of other types. It had only one IS100 flanked it, which corresponded to the character that its pgm(+) phenotype was stable. Further study was needed to confirm the relationship between the diminution virulence of Yersinia pestis isolated from Microtus brandti and the loss of IS100 and other changes.
Zhang
Zhi-kai
ZK
Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.
Yu
Dong-zheng
DZ
Zhang
Jian-hua
JH
Hai
Rong
R
Cai
Hong
H
Wei
Jian-chun
JC
D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000382:microbiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000235:genetics; D010930:Plague / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics*; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010860:Pigments, Biological