Microarray analysis of Mycobacterium microti reveals deletion of genes encoding PE-PPE proteins and ESAT-6 family antigens.
Mycobacterium microti is the agent of tuberculosis in wild voles and has been used as a live vaccine against tuberculosis in man and cattle. To explore the M. microti genome in greater detail, we used a M. tuberculosis H37Rv genomic DNA microarray to detect gene deletions among M. microti isolates. A number of deletions were identified that correlated with those described previously (Infect. Immun. 70 (2002) 5568) but a novel M. microti deletion was also found (MiD4) which removes 5 genes that code for ESAT-6 family antigens and PE-PPE proteins. Southern blot experiments showed that this region was also deleted from M. pinnipedii, a mycobacterium isolated from seals that is closely related to M. microti. Genes encoding ESAT-6 antigens and PE-PPE proteins appear to be frequently deleted from M. microti, and the implications of this are discussed.
Garcia-Pelayo
M Carmen
MC
Veterinary Laboratories Agency (Weybridge), Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK.
Caimi
Karina C
KC
Inwald
Jacqueline K
JK
Hinds
Jason
J
Bigi
Fabiana
F
Romano
Maria I
MI
van Soolingen
Dick
D
Hewinson
R Glyn
RG
Cataldi
Angel
A
Gordon
Stephen V
SV
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C093276:ESAT-6 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis