title: Single-nucleotide repeat analysis for subtyping Bacillus anthracis isolates.
abstract: Single-nucleotide repeats (SNRs) are variable-number tandem repeats that display very high mutation rates. In an outbreak situation, the use of a marker system that exploits regions with very high mutation rates, such as SNRs, allows the differentiation of isolates with extremely low levels of genetic diversity. This report describes the identification and analysis of SNR loci of Bacillus anthracis. SNR loci were selected in silico, and the loci with the highest diversity were used to design and test locus-specific primers against a number of B. anthracis strains with the same multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) genotype. SNR markers that allowed strains with the same MLVA genotype to be differentiated from each other were identified. The resulting SNR marker system can be used as a molecular epidemiological tool in a natural outbreak or bioterrorism event, offering the best chance of distinguishing very closely related isolates.
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biological Defence Section, Defence R&D Canada--Suffield Medicine Hat, AB, CBDS, P.O. Box 4000, Station Main, Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 8K6, Canada. Chad.Stratilo@drdc-rddc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Chad W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Stratilo
authors.forename: Christopher T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bryden
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mulvey
authors.forename: Doug
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000382:microbiology; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009154:Mutation; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial