title: Multiple Locus Variable number of tandem repeat Analysis: A molecular genotyping tool for Paenibacillus larvae.
abstract: American Foulbrood, caused by Paenibacillus larvae, is the most severe bacterial disease of honey bees (Apis mellifera). To perform genotyping of P. larvae in an epidemiological context, there is a need of a fast and cheap method with a high resolution. Here, we propose Multiple Locus Variable number of tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA). MLVA has been used for typing a collection of 209 P. larvae strains from which 23 different MLVA types could be identified. Moreover, the developed methodology not only permits the identification of the four Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) genotypes, but allows also a discriminatory subdivision of the most dominant ERIC type I and ERIC type II genotypes. A biogeographical study has been conducted showing a significant correlation between MLVA genotype and the geographical region where it was isolated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. tine.descamps@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Tine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Descamps
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Smet
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stragier
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dirk C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: de Graaf
mesh_terms: D060005:Genotyping Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods*; D000070059:Paenibacillus larvae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058974:Phylogeography