Detection of virulence-associated genes in clinical isolates of bacillus anthracis by multiplex PCR and DNA probes.
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, and well recognized as a potential agent for bioterrorism. B. anthracis can be identified by detecting the virulence factors genes located on two plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of virulence genes in 27 isolates of B. anthracis isolated from clinical and environmental samples. For this purpose, multiplex PCR and DNA probes were designed to detect protective antigen ( pag), edema factor (cya), lethal factor (lef ), and capsule (cap) genes. Our results indicated that all the isolates contained all the above virulence genes, suggesting that the isolates were virulent. To the best our knowledge, this is the first study about the determination of virulence marker genes in clinical and environmental isolates of B. anthracis using multiplex PCR and DNA probes in India. We suggest that the above methods can be useful in specific identification of virulent B. anthracis in clinical and environmental samples.
Kumar
Sanjay
S
Division of Microbiology, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior 474 002, Madhya Pradesh. swkimkorea@korea.ac.kr
Tuteja
Urmil
U
D000818:Animals; D000881:Anthrax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015342:DNA Probes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D015342:DNA Probes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D037521:Virulence Factors; C030325:anthrax toxin