title: Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for Listeria monocytogenes.
abstract: Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) is a molecular subtyping method with high discriminatory power, reproducibility, and epidemiological concordance for the subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes and other bacteria. PFGE uses rare-cutting restriction enzymes (macrorestriction) that cut the genomic DNA, usually resulting in 6-25 DNA fragments ranging between 30 and 600 kb. Bacterial cells are immobilized in agarose plugs and subsequently lysed to release genomic DNA, which is then subjected to DNA digestion. AscI and ApaI restriction enzymes are typically used for L. monocytogenes. Electrophoresis using an alternating electric field direction results in a DNA banding pattern, or fingerprint, which is used to classify isolates into different pulsotypes. PFGE is currently the CDC's gold standard method for epidemiological studies in foodborne outbreaks.
authors: UCD Centre for Food Safety, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Reference & Training on Cronobacter, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Luque-Sastre
authors: Séamus
authors: S
authors: Fanning
authors: Edward M
authors: EM
authors: Fox
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity