title: Resident bacterial flora in the skin of C57BL/6 mice housed under SPF conditions.
abstract: Research in cutaneous biology frequently involves models that use mice housed in SPF conditions. Little information is available concerning the species of bacteria that normally inhabit the skin of these mice. The aim of this study was to characterize the bacterial skin flora of mice housed under SPF conditions. Skin biopsies from C57BL/6 mice under normal and surgically prepped conditions were both cultured and analyzed by using DNA extraction and sequencing. The species isolated most commonly from culture were staphylococci. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated more frequently than was Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular sequencing yielded several additional organisms not found by culture. Overall, culturing of isolates yielded 14 species of bacteria, and molecular sequencing identified another 6 species. Investigators conducting cutaneous research in mouse models should aware of the cutaneous bacterial flora present on these mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine/Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Zarry
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tavakkol
authors.forename: Derrick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samuelson
authors.forename: Elinor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: deLancey Pulcini
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Underwood
authors.forename: Marcia L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: J William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Costerton
authors.forename: Garth A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Olerud
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fleckman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006799:Housing, Animal; D051379:Mice / Q000382:microbiology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S