title: Loss of the mecA gene during storage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains.
abstract: The mecA gene was lost in 36 (14.4%) of 250 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates after 2 years of storage at -80 degrees C with the Microbank system (Pro-lab Diagnostics, Austin, Tex.). Further analysis of 35 of these isolates confirmed loss of the mecA gene in 32 isolates. This finding has important implications for the management of strain collections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Medical Immunology, Internal Post Number 1630, Hospital Rijnstate Arnhem, P.O. Box 9025, 6800 EG Arnhem, The Netherlands. AvanGriethuysen@alysis.nl
authors.forename: Arjanne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Griethuysen
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van Loo
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Belkum
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandenbroucke-Grauls
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wannet
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Keulen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kluytmans
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003470:Culture Media; D005615:Freezing; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus