[Rapid, simple genotyping method by the variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Japan--analytical procedure of JATA (12)-VNTR].
OBJECTIVE
The discriminatory power of each locus in variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR) analyses was evaluated for development of the genotyping method of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) in Japan.


METHODS
By using 325 TB strains collected from whole Japan and 24 mass infection cases (74 isolates), IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), spoligotyping and VNTR (35 loci) were analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
We excluded 4 loci (VNTRs 2163a, 3232, 3820, and 4120) and selected in top 12 loci (VNTRs 0424, 0960, 1955, 2074, 2163b, 2372, 2996, 3155, 3192, 3336, 4052, and 4156). The cluster rate of IS6110 RFLP was higher than that of 12-locus [Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA)] VNTR. And in comparison of the discriminatory power of 12-locus JATA VNTR and that of Supply (15)-VNTR, the JATA (12)-VNTR was superior, even though less loci analyses. Therefore, this JATA (12)-VNTR could be used for TB genotyping in areas where Beijing strains are prevalent.
Maeda
Shinji
S
Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, 3-1-24, Matsuyama, Kiyose-shi, Tokyo 204-8533 Japan. maeda@jata.or.jp
Murase
Yoshiro
Y
Mitarai
Satoshi
S
Sugawara
Isamu
I
Kato
Seiya
S
D005838:Genotype; D007564:Japan; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014376:Tuberculosis