JCM Figure table search 04
Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tsolaki, A. G.
Right arrow Articles by Small, P. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tsolaki, A. G.
Right arrow Articles by Small, P. M.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2005, p. 3185-3191, Vol. 43, No. 7
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.7.3185-3191.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Genomic Deletions Classify the Beijing/W Strains as a Distinct Genetic Lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Anthony G. Tsolaki,1* Sebastien Gagneux,1 Alexander S. Pym,1 Yves-Olivier L. Goguet de la Salmoniere,1 Barry N. Kreiswirth,2 Dick Van Soolingen,3 and Peter M. Small1

Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305,1 Tuberculosis Center, Public Health Research Institute, 225 Warren St., Newark, New Jersey 07103-3535,2 Mycobacteria Reference Department, Diagnostic Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Perinatal Screening, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands3

Received 5 November 2004/ Returned for modification 14 January 2005/ Accepted 3 April 2005

Beijing/W strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are geographically widespread and hypervirulent. To enhance our understanding of their origin and evolution, we sought phylogenetically informative large sequence polymorphisms (LSPs) within the Beijing/W family. Comparative whole-genome hybridization of Beijing/W strains revealed 21 LSPs, 7 of which were previously unreported. We show that some of these LSPs are unique event polymorphisms that can be used to define and subdivide the Beijing/W family. One LSP (RD105) was seen in all Beijing/W strains and thus serves as a useful marker for the identification of this family of strains. Additional LSPs (RD142, RD150, and RD181) further divided this family into four monophyletic subgroups, demonstrating a deeper population structure than previously appreciated. All Beijing/W strains were also observed to have an intact pks15/1 gene that is involved in the biosynthesis of a phenolic glycolipid, a putative virulence factor. A simple PCR assay using these Beijing/W strain-defining deletions will facilitate molecular epidemiological studies and may assist in the identification of the molecular basis of phenotypes associated with this important lineage of M. tuberculosis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom. Phone: 44-207-594-3094. Fax: 44-207-594-3095. E-mail: a.tsolaki{at}imperial.ac.uk.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2005, p. 3185-3191, Vol. 43, No. 7
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.7.3185-3191.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:



Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. Clin. Microbiol. Rev.
Clin. Vaccine Immunol. ALL ASM JOURNALS

Copyright © 2005 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.