title: Identification of a new variable number tandem repeat locus in Mycobacterium ulcerans for potential strain discrimination among African isolates.
abstract: Intra-species discrimination in the highly clonal pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans was studied in a diverse collection of isolates by PCR amplification of a short sequence repeat locus containing heterogeneous arrays of tri-nucleotide repeats with an ACC consensus pattern. Post-amplification analysis indicated excellent typeability and identified five M. ulcerans alleles, including a unique Angolan type differentiated for the first time among a genetically conserved cluster of African isolates. These results are consistent with previously investigated independent markers, and provide an additional locus for variable number tandem repeat-based typing of M. ulcerans.
authors.affiliation: Mycobacteriology Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ablordey
authors.forename: P-A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fonteyne
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stragier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandamme
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portaels
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial