Identification and distribution of putative virulence genes in clinical strains of Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1A by suppression subtractive hybridization.
OBJECTIVE
To detect putative virulence genes in clinical strains of Yersinia enterocolitica biovar 1A by suppression subtractive hybridization between two closely related strains of clinical and nonclinical origin having the same serotype (O:6,30-6,31).


RESULTS
Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) was used to identify genomic differences between clinical (serotype O:6,30-6,31, from diarrhoeic human stools) and nonclinical (serotype O:6,30-6,31, from wastewater) strains of Y. enterocolitica biovar 1A. Following genomic subtraction and DNA sequencing, nine DNA sequences that were present only in clinical biovar 1A strains were identified. The sequences identified using SSH showed similarity to conserved hypothetical proteins, proteins related to iron acquisition and haemin storage, type 1 secretion proteins, flagellar hook proteins, exported protein and ABC transport system. All these sequences showed high similarity with Y. enterocolitica 8081 (biovar 1B). The distribution of these genes was further analysed using PCR in 26 clinical strains of Y. enterocolitica biovar 1A. The results revealed that the distribution of these genes was not uniform.


CONCLUSIONS
Genes related to iron acquisition and storage, and flagellar proteins might be responsible for virulence of some of the clinical strains of Y. enterocolitica biovar 1A.


CONCLUSIONS
Genes identified in this study might be useful in understanding the pathogenic potential of clinical strains of Y. enterocolitica biovar 1A.
Microbial Pathogenicity Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India.
P
P
Kumar
J S
JS
Virdi
D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics*; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial