A two-step species-specific 16S rRNA PCR assay for the detection of Taylorella equigenitalis in horses

: A two-step PCR assay was developed for the molecular detection of Taylorella equigenitalis, a Gram-negative genital bacterial pathogen in horses. Two specific oligonucleotide primers (TE16SrRNABCHf [25mer] and TE16SrRNABCHr [29mer]) were designed from multiple alignments of the 16S rRNA gene loci of several closely related taxa, including T. asinigenitalis. Subsequent enhanced surveillance of 250 Thoroughbred animals failed to detect the presence of this organism directly from clinical swabs taken from the genital tract of mares and stallions. Such a molecular approach offers a sensitive and specific alternative to conventional culture techniques, and has the potential to lead to improved diagnosis and subsequent management of horses involved in breeding programmes.     

兔多杀性巴氏杆菌16S rRNA PCR检测方法的建立

为建立一种快速准确检测兔多杀性巴氏杆菌(P.multocida)的PCR方法,本研究以P.multocida的高度保守的16S rRNA为靶基因,参考已公布的P.multocida的16S rRNA基因设计1对特异性引物,优化PCR反应条件,建立了P.multocida PCR快速检测方法。该PCR方法的敏感性达到60 cfu/mL,采用该PCR方法扩增P.multocida标准株和分离株均能扩增出643 bp的目的片段,扩增兔大肠杆菌、支气管败血波氏杆菌结果为阴性,证明本实验所建立的P.multocida PCR检测方法快速、敏感、特异、可靠,可用于P.multocida的快速鉴定与诊断。同时用建立的PCR方法对临床疑似病兔的脏器分离菌进行扩增,可扩增出目的条带,与细菌的分离结果相一致。     

Detection and identification of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in infectious keratoconjunctivitis by PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene.

A specific PCR assay based on unique sequences of the rrs genes (16S rRNA) of Mycoplasma conjunctivae was developed for direct detection and identification of this pathogen from clinical material. DNA from eye swabs was amplified after a simple lysis step by either a single PCR with the M. conjunctivae specific primer pair McoR1 and McoF1, or by a nested PCR with the Mycoplasma genus specific primer pair MOLIGEN1-L and 16UNI-R in the first step and McoR1 and McoF1 in the second step. The specificity of the primer pair McoR1 and McoF1 was verified with purified DNA from the type strain, from 17 field isolates of M. conjunctivae and from several Mollicutes which are phylogenetically related to M. conjunctivae or which can be isolated from the same host animals. This method identified mycoplasma isolates from goat, sheep, ibex and chamois originating from different countries as M. conjunctivae. No cross amplifications with other mycoplasmas which are related to M. conjunctivae were observed. Eye swab samples containing known numbers of M. conjunctivae cells were analysed after direct lysis of the material. The detection level was estimated to be 20 cells per swab when the nested PCR procedure was used and 2 x 10(5) by the single PCR method. In an experimental infection model of sheep, the nested PCR method for detection of M. conjunctivae gave results which were comparable to mycoplasmal culture. These are the implications for diagnostic purposes: M. conjunctivae isolates can be identified by the one-step PCR method, whereas for detection and identification of M. conjunctivae in clinical material the two-step method should be used (higher sensitivity).     

Intraspecific sequence variation in 16S rRNA gene of Ureaplasma diversum isolates

Ureaplasma diversum infection in bulls may result in seminal vesiculitis, balanoposthitis and alterations in spermatozoids. In cows, it can cause placentitis, fetal alveolitis, abortion and the birth of weak calves. U. diversum ATCC 49782 (serogroups A), ATCC 49783 (serogroup C) and 34 field isolates were used for this study. These microorganisms were submitted to Polymerase Chain Reaction for 16S gene sequence determination using Taq High Fidelity and the products were purified and bi-directionally sequenced. Using the sequence obtained, a fragment containing four hypervariable regions was selected and nucleotide polymorphisms were identified based on their position within the 16S rRNA gene. Forty-four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were detected. The genotypic variability of the 16S rRNA gene of U. diversum isolates shows that the taxonomy classification of these organisms is likely much more complex than previously described and that 16S rRNA gene sequencing may be used to suggest an epidemiologic pattern of different origin strains.     

Detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum in tissue samples by sequence capture and fluorescent PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene

The 16S rRNA genes from eight isolates of Renibacterium salmoninarum with different origins and dates of isolation were sequenced to evaluate the possibility to construct a diagnostic PCR system with target sites within this gene. The sequences were found to be identical but for one single position in one of the isolates, and two regions with an adequate number of nucleotide differences as compared to closely related species were identified. Species-specific fluorescent PCR primers complementary to these regions were constructed as well as oligonucleotides for DNA preparation by sequence capture. A mimic molecule was constructed to be used as an internal control. The PCR was specific and allowed the detection of DNA equivalent to 1-10 R. salmoninarum genomes per reaction. The DNA preparation with sequence capture and analysis by PCR with a mimic was found to be a reliable method for analysis of kidneys from fish with BKD. The amount of PCR inhibiting substances present in the tissue was reduced, and the relevant DNA was concentrated in the capture step. Furthermore, the use of the mimic molecule in the system assured that false negative results could be identified.     

16S rRNA/rDNA序列分析技术在瘤胃细菌微生态系统研究中的应用

作者指出了反刍动物瘤胃细菌微生态系统研究的难点，介绍了细菌分类学中新兴的分子生物学指标（16S rRNA/rDNA序列同源性），综述了16S rRNA/rDNA序列分析中所采用的分子生物学方法和技术，并阐述了瘤胃分子微生物学研究的流程。     

Decreased susceptibility to doxycycline associated with a 16S rRNA gene mutation in Brachyspira hyodysenteriae

The objective of this study was to assess whether nucleotide substitutions in the 16S rDNA sequence of selected Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolates could explain differences in doxycycline minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The main part of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced and compared for 19 isolates with different doxycycline MICs. A mutation in the 16S rRNA gene at the position corresponding to 1058 in Escherichia coli has been shown to cause tetracycline resistance in other bacteria. In the B. hyodysenteriae sequences a G1058C mutation was found for all isolates with increased doxycycline MICs whereas all susceptible isolates had the wild type sequence.     

Intraspecific variation in 16S rRNA gene of Mycoplasma synoviae determined by DNA sequencing

Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is an important avian pathogen may cause both respiratory disease and joint inflammation synovitis in poultry, causing economic losses to the Brazilian poultry industry. The genotypic variation in 16S rRNA gene is unknown. Partial sequences of 16S rRNA gene of 19 strains of M. synoviae were sequenced and analyzed in order to obtain molecular characterization and evaluation of the genetic variability of strains from distinct Brazilian areas of poultry production. Different polymorphic patterns were observed. The number of polymorphic alterations in the studied strains ranged from 0 to 6. The nucleotide variations, including deletion, insertion and substitutions, ranged from 3 to 5. The genotypic diversity observed in this study may be explained by spontaneous mutations that may occur when a lineage remains in the same flock for long periods. The culling and reposition in poultry flocks may be responsible for the entry of new strains in different areas.     

Molecular detection of Babesia equi and Babesia caballi in horse blood by PCR amplification of part of the 16S rRNA gene.

Babesia equi and Babesia caballi are tick-borne haemoparasites that may cause babesiosis of Equidae. In southern Europe B. equi is enzootic and infections may occur asymptomatically and more frequently than those due to B. caballi. Complement fixation test (CFT) is the official serological test for the diagnosis of equine babesiosis, but it has low sensitivity during early and latent stages of the disease. With the aim of developing more sensitive and rapid direct diagnostic alternatives, PCR systems that amplified DNA targets of 664 or 659 bp regions of the 16S rRNA genes were designed and demonstrated to specifically detect the genomes of B. equi and B. caballi, respectively. An approximated parasitaemia of 0.000083% was detected by the PCR system for B. equi compared with reported limits of 0.001% for microscopic examination of stained blood smears, and up to 0.00025% for DNA probes. Although the sensitivity of the PCR system for B. caballi could not be estimated, samples with microscopically undetectable parasitaemia as well as those with 0.017% parasitised red blood cells were detected. DNA extracts of blood collected with EDTA as an anticoagulant from 23 horses from Portugal were tested with both PCR systems. Of these samples, 22 were positive for B. equi and 8 were positive for B. caballi with PCR tests and intraerythrocytic parasites were seen in all samples. Antibodies against both parasites were not detected by CFT in several cases, but in these cases the presence of either or both parasites was apparent by PCR tests. The PCR systems may be useful in the diagnosis of equine babesiosis covering a wider range of clinical disease, as useful adjuncts to serological, microscopic, and cultural methods, especially for the import and export testing of horses.     

奶牛温氏附红细胞体16S rRNA基因的克隆及系统进化分析

无菌采集感染温氏附红细胞体(E.wenyoni)的牛血液,抽提E.wenyoni基因组DNA,参考GenBank发表的E.wenyoni 16S rRNA基因序列(AF016546),设计1对特异性引物,扩增并克隆E.wenyoni 16S rRNA部分基因,基因产物大小为1 005 bp.序列比较结果显示,所测序列与参考序列(AF016546)同源性最高.达97.9%.系统发育分析表明,所测序列与支原体属病原代表种的序列接近.同源性约为70%,而与无浆体科病原代表种的序列相差较远,同源性约为50%.可见,E.wenyoni应归为支原体属,而不应属于立克次氏体目、无浆体科.     

16S~23SrRNA基因序列在细菌鉴定中的应用

近些年围绕16S~23S rRNA基因间隔区发展起来的分子生物学技术为细菌多样性的研究开辟了新的途径,使得人们在细菌多样性的研究中得以摆脱传统分离培养的束缚,进而使分析方法得以长足拓展,并为指导实践提供可靠的理论依据,作者就16S~23S rRNA基因间隔区序列的特点、应用及发展前景作一简述。     

牛附红细胞体16SrRNA基因的克隆测序及分析

无菌采集自然感染附红细胞体的牛血液,提取全血基因组,用血营养菌16S rRNA基因的通用引物进行PCR扩增,得到长约1 500 bp的扩增片段,将其克隆到pMD18-T载体后进行测序和分析.结果,所克隆的牛附红细胞体基因片段大小为1 454 bp,GenBank登录号为FJ375309(丰都株).序列比对结果显示,牛附红细胞体丰都株与武汉株(AY946266)最高,达99.7%,与支原体科代表种同源性为60.7%～76.2%,而与立克次氏体科的立克次氏体和无形体科的无形体同源性仅为51.4%～56.4%,表明牛附红细胞体应归为支原体科,附红细胞体属,而不应属于立克次氏体目,无浆体科.对国内外牛温氏附红细胞体的亲缘关系分析表明,牛温氏附红细胞体无明显的地域性差别趋势.     

Phylogenetic analysis of Mycoplasma suis isolates based on 16S rRNA gene sequence in China

To perform phylogenetic analysis of Mycoplasma suis isolates derived from China to define the nature of this pathogen, nearly complete of 16S rRNA genes from Chongqing, Sichuan, Henan and Guangdong isolates were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The four sequences from the blood samples in this study, with other 17 Hemoplasmas sequences and related 3 mycoplasma sequences available in the GenBank, were aligned using Clustal X (version 1.83) sequences alignment program. Maximum parsimony, neighbor-joining and minimum evolution (MEGA 4.0) algorithms were used to create phylogenetic trees. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences showed that all hemoplasma species were located within a single clade and were most closely related to M. pneumoniae group. The hemoplasma species were further subdivided into two distinct groups, one containing M.wenyonii, M.suis and Candidatus M. haemominutum and the other containing M. haemofelis and M. haemocanis. Within the former clade, four M.suis isolates from Mainland China and other M.suis species formed a monophyletic group in the tree. A tendency of clear geographical grouping of the isolate was evident.     

Intraspecific variation in the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Mycoplasma agalactiae and Mycoplasma bovis strains

Intraspecific variation in the 16S rRNA genes of 17 Mycoplasma agalactiae and eight Mycoplasma bovis isolates was investigated to determine the degree of sequence variation in these two species and to determine whether the polymorphisms in the 16S rRNA genes could be used for the construction of an evolutionary tree and as epidemiological markers. A high degree of variation was found within isolates (between operons) and between isolates of both species. In contrast to M. capripneumoniae no distinct evolutionary pattern could be seen, probably because there are functional systems for gene conversion in M. agalactiae and M. bovis. However, the non-European isolates of M. agalactiae shared three characteristic nucleotides and European isolates from the same or neighbouring countries were very similar. Differences within isolates included both polymorphic positions and sequence length differences between operons. The amount of variation within isolates of the respective species ranged from zero to seven polymorphisms for M. agalactiae and from zero to four polymorphisms for M. bovis. The high degree of variation suggests the potential for misdiagnosis of species in diagnostic PCR assays based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences. All isolates of both species had a thymidine in position 912 (E. coli numbering) that causes streptomycin resistance in several bacterial species and which is characteristic for the members of the hominis group. As expected, when five M. agalactiae and three M. bovis isolates were tested for streptomycin susceptibility, they all demonstrated streptomycin resistance. M. agalactiae and M. bovis were found to have high intraspecific variation in their 16S rRNA gene and the polymorphisms patterns indicate that gene conversion takes place.     

应用16S rRNA基因测序法鉴定禽多杀性巴氏杆菌的研究

应用 16SrRNA基因测序法对以疫苗标准强毒株C4 8_1和弱毒疫苗代表株G190E4 0为阳性对照株和分离鉴定的 2株禽源多杀性巴氏杆菌Chicken/guangxi/ 2 0 0 0_1、Chicken/guangdong / 2 0 0 2_1株 ,进行 16SrRNA基因序列分析。结果表明 ,2株分离菌与对照的强弱毒株之间的同源性为 10 0 %。后经Blastn分析Chicken/guangxi/ 2 0 0 0_1、Chicken/guangdong /2 0 0 2_1、C4 8_1、G190E4 0株与已发表 11株多杀性巴氏杆菌同源性高达 10 0 % ,与已发表的 34株多杀性巴氏杆菌同源性均超过 98% ,同时与其它巴氏杆菌种如溶血巴氏杆菌等同源性均低于 96 % ,进一步证实Chicken/guangxi/ 2 0 0 0_1、Chicken/guangdong / 2 0 0 2_1分离株均为多杀性巴氏杆菌。生化实验鉴定表明Chicken/guangxi/ 2 0 0 0_1、Chicken/guangdong / 2 0 0 2_1、C4 8_1、G190E4 0菌株均为subsp .Multocida亚种。     

Development and evaluation of a polymerase chain reaction assay using the 16S rRNA gene for detection of Eperythrozoon suis infection.

The 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of Eperythrozoon suis was amplified using gene-specific primers developed from GenBank sequence accession U88565. The gene was subsequently cloned and sequenced. Based on these sequence data, 3 sets of E. suis-specific primers were designed. These primers selectively amplified 1394, 690, and 839 base-pair (bp) fragments of the 16S rRNA gene from DNA of E. suis extracted from the blood of an experimentally infected pig during a parasitemic episode. No polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were amplified from purified DNA of Haemobartonella felis, Mycoplasma genitalium, or Bartonella bacilliformis using 2 of these primer sets. When the primer set amplifying the 690-bp fragment was used, faint bands were observed with H. felis as the target DNA. No PCR products were amplified from DNA that had been extracted from the blood of a noninfected pig or using PCR reagents without target DNA. The detection limits for E. suis by competitive quantitative PCR were estimated to range from 57 and 800 organisms/assay. This is the first report of the utility of PCR-facilitated diagnosis and quantitation of E. suis based on the 16S rRNA gene. The PCR method developed will be useful in monitoring the progression and significance of E. suis in the disease process in the pig.     

Proliferation of mycobacteria in a piggery environment revealed by mycobacterium-specific real-time quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA sandwich hybridization

Pig mycobacteriosis is the most common animal mycobacterial disease in Finland with a long-term average prevalence of 0.34% and temporary peaks as high as 0.85%. In the current study Mycobacterium-specific real-time qPCR and 16S rRNA sandwich hybridization were utilized for culture-independent detection and measurement of potentially infectious mycobacteria in selected piggeries. Participating herds (n=5) were selected according to prevalence of tuberculous lesions (>4%) in slaughtered carcasses. When DNA extracted from piggery bedding materials was analyzed by Mycobacterium-targeted qPCR using the SYBR green I dye for detection of amplification products, 10(5) to 10(7) cell equivalents of mycobacterial DNA were detected in unused bedding materials and 10(8) to 10(10)g(-1) dry weight in used bedding materials. When Mycobacterium-specific hybridization probes were used for detection of amplification products, 10(5) to 10(7) cell equivalents of mycobacterial DNA g(-1) dry weight were detected in unused bedding materials in four out of the five piggeries studied and up to 10(8) cell equivalents in used bedding material. The results were confirmed by the Mycobacterium-specific 16S rRNA sandwich hybridization assay. The present results show, that mycobacteria occur in organic materials commonly used on pig farms, and may proliferate in bedding materials during use. We also show that DNA- and RNA-based methods may be utilized for detection of environmental reservoirs of mycobacteria causing porcine and human infection.     

Relations among synovial membrane histopathologic findings, synovial fluid cytologic findings, and bacterial culture results in horses with suspected infectious arthritis: 64 cases (1979-1987)

A retrospective evaluation of 64 cases of suspected infectious arthritis in horses was undertaken to determine the relations among histopathologic findings in synovial membrane specimens, cytologic findings in synovial fluid samples, and bacterial culture results. Positive cultures were obtained from 55% of the joints, and 18 different bacterial organisms were cultured. Culturing of synovial fluid yielded bacterial growth more often than did culturing of synovial membrane. Histologic evaluation (H&E and Gram stain) of synovial membrane specimens provided little information to help distinguish infected from culture-negative joints. We do not advocate the routine use of closed synovial biopsy in suspected cases of equine septic arthritis.     

16S-23S rRNA基因间隔序列PCR及RFLP对奇异变形杆菌分离株的鉴别与系统发育分析

根据临床常见致病菌16S-23S rRNA基因间隔序列(ISR)两端的16S及23S rRNA保守序列设计PCR扩增的通用引物,对9株奇异变形杆菌和6株相近菌株应用通用引物PCR扩增16S-23S rRNA ISR序列.通过PCR长度多态性比较、RFLP分析以及部分序列测序比较,分析鉴别奇异变形杆菌.结果显示,PCR长度多态性可以将奇异变形杆菌同其余菌种进行区分;RFLP分析可以将所有试验菌种进行区分;部分序列测序可以对奇异变形杆菌进行分型.由此表明,16S 23S rRNA ISR序列PCR及RFLP分析可以简单、快速、准确的鉴定奇异变形杆菌.