title: A strategy to verify the absence of the pgm locus in Yersinia pestis strain candidates for select agent exemption.
abstract: Yersinia pestis is a Department of Health and Human Services select agent as defined in federal regulations. Certain attenuated strains of Y. pestis, such as the pgm(-) strain, are exempt from these regulations. Herein we describe a strategy to verify the absence of the pgm locus in Y. pestis strains being considered as candidates for select agent exemption by PCR analysis of virulence-associated genes.
authors.affiliation: Bacteriology Division, U. S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Worsham
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Welkos
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010930:Plague / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D037521:Virulence Factors