title: Sequence analysis of the hypervariable regions of the 56 kDa immunodominant protein genes of Orientia tsutsugamushi strains in Malaysia.
abstract: The DNA sequences encompassing two hypervariable regions, VD II and III of the 56 kDa immunodominant protein gene of 21 Malaysian strains of Orientia tsutsugamushi were determined. Two strains demonstrated a 100% DNA homology with the Gilliam prototype strain, and one with TH1817 strain and TA678 strain respectively. High percentages of DNA similarity (95-99%) were observed with Karp (4 strains), Gilliam (2 strains), TH1817 (4 strains), TC586 (3 strains) and TA763 (1 strain). The remaining strains demonstrated the highest DNA similarity with TA763 (1 strain, 89%), TA678 (1 strain, 86%) and TA686 (1 strain, 87%). Our study provides additional evidence on the existence and the genetic heterogeneity of TA strains of the Southeast Asia and their closely related strains in Malaysia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. tayst@um.edu.my
authors.forename: Sun Tee
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: Yasin Mohd
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Rohani
authors.forename: Tze Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Devi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shamala
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008296:Malaysia; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012285:Orientia tsutsugamushi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial