title: A characteristic of polymorphic membrane protein F of Chlamydia trachomatis isolated from male urogenital tracts in Japan.
abstract: Although sexually transmitted disease due to Chlamydia trachomatis occurs similarly in both men and women, the female urogenital tract differs from that of males anatomically and physiologically, possibly leading to specific polymorphisms of the bacterial surface molecules. In the present study, we therefore characterized polymorphic features in a high-definition phylogenetic marker, polymorphic outer membrane protein (Pmp) F of C. trachomatis strains isolated from male urogenital tracts in Japan (Category: Japan-males, n = 12), when compared with those isolated from female cervical ducts in Japan (Category: Japan-females, n = 11), female cervical ducts in the other country (Category: Ref-females, n = 12) or homosexual male rectums in the other country (Category: Ref-males, n = 7), by general bioinformatics analysis tool with MAFFT software. As a result, phylogenetic reconstruction of the PmpF amino acid sequences showing three distinct clusters revealed that the Japan-males were limited into cluster 1 and 2, although there were only four clusters even though including an outgroup. Meanwhile, the phylogenetic distance values of PmpF passenger domain without hinge region, but not its full-length sequence, showed that the Japan-males were more stable and displayed less diversity when compared with the other categories, supported by the sequence conservation features. Thus, PmpF passenger domain is a useful phylogenetic maker, and the phylogenic features indicate that C. trachomatis strains isolated from male urogenital tracts in Japan may be unique, suggesting an adaptation depending on selective pressure, such as the presence or absence of microbial flora, furthermore possibly connecting to sexual differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan; Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kojimachi Business Center Building, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Control and Laboratory Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Shouta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.affiliation: Fundamental Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimoda
authors.affiliation: Toho Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Toho Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Electronic address: hiroyuki@med.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
keywords: Chlamydia trachomatis; Male; Phylogenetic analysis; Polymorphic membrane protein F (PmpF); Polymorphism