The rgg gene is a specific marker for Streptococcus oralis.
Although the pathogenesis of Streptococcus oralis may be different from that of other viridans group streptococci, S. oralis shares a high degree of DNA sequence similarity with these streptococci. As a result, discrimination of S. oralis from its close relatives has long been considered difficult. This study was conducted to find specific genes that allow for the in vitro identification of S. oralis, but not other oral commensals. Four hundred ninety S. oralis clones obtained by suppressive subtractive hybridization were used for Southern hybridization, and positive clones were sequenced. Of 5 S. oralis-specific clones, newly designed primer sets based on the glucosyltransferase regulatory gene amplified genomic DNA only from S. oralis strains, but not from any of the other 125 strains tested. Our findings may be useful for the future development of efficient diagnostic tools for the rapid identification and differentiation of S. oralis from other oral streptococci strains.
Park
H K
HK
Department of Microbiology & Research Institute for Translational System Biomics, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, 221 Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-ku, Seoul 156-756, Republic of Korea.
Lee
H J
HJ
Jeong
E-G
EG
Shin
H-S
HS
Kim
W
W
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002999:Clone Cells; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics*; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017045:Lactococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D034361:Streptococcus mitis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D019533:Streptococcus oralis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015534:Trans-Activators; C074779:rgg protein, Streptococcus