title: Automation of MLST using third-generation liquid-handling technology.
abstract: The molecular characterization of bacterial pathogens of clinical significance is increasingly important. Methods, such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST), allow bacterial strains to be characterized during case clusters, for antibiotic-resistant strains to be monitored, and for the impact of new vaccines to be assessed. Our laboratory performs MLST on Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphylococcus aureus. We have developed high-throughput automated methods to allow MLST to be performed in a time scale useful in a clinical setting. Here we describe the automation of MLST on a third-generation liquid-handling robot.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: J M C
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jefferies
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Diggle
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial