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PubMed2005

Identification of the alternative promoters of the KChIP4 subfamily.

The subfamily of voltage-dependent potassium (Kv) channel interacting protein 4 (KChIP4) is made up of the auxiliary interacting protein of voltage-dependent potassium channels. In this study, the structure of four splicing variants of the human KChIP4 gene was analyzed. Three of the four isoforms of the KChIP4 gene, KChIP4.1, KChIP4.2 and KChIP4.4, were amplified from mouse and human fetal brain tissues by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and then identified. Based on the bioinformatics analysis of the genomic sequences of the gene, we cloned and characterized two promoter fragments from the KChIP4 gene. One was a 325 bp fragment upstream of the 5' end of the KChIP4.1 mRNA sequence and the other was an 818 bp fragment located immediately at the 5' end of the KChIP4.4 variant. Both of them can initiate the transcription of the reporter gene in HT1080 cells and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat fetal brain neurons, and they contain CG islands, except typical TATA boxes and CAAT boxes. This shows that the KChIP4 gene expression is regulated by an alternative promoter.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2026

Next-Generation Sequencing-Based High-Resolution Typing of HLA-A, -B, -C and HPA Genes in Jilin Province: Building a Platelet Donor Database and Identifying Novel Alleles.

To systematically analyse HLA-A, -B and -C and human platelet antigen (HPA) genotypes of platelet donors in Jilin Province using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, a comprehensive donor database was established. Additionally, potential novel alleles were identified, providing a scientific basis for enhancing the safety of clinical blood transfusions. DNA fragments from 200 platelet donor samples in Jilin Province were amplified using locus-specific primers. Comprehensive sequencing of HLA and HPA genes was performed via NGS. Bioinformatics analysis was employed to process genotyping results and screen for novel genetic variants. Newly discovered alleles were validated by Sanger sequencing to ensure accuracy and reliability. HLA genotyping achieved three-field allele resolution, revealing the highest-frequency alleles are as follows: HLA-A*11:01:01, HLA-B*13:02:01, HLA-C*01:02:01 and C*03:04:01. A novel allele B*49:91 (mutation: E2 24T>C) was identified. For the HPA systems (HPA-1, -2, -3, -5, -6, -15, -21), high heterozygosity was observed in HPA-3 and HPA-15, while no bb homozygosity was detected in HPA-1, -2, -5, -6 or -21. The application of NGS in constructing a platelet HLA/HPA gene database enables high-resolution genotyping, laying a critical foundation for precise platelet matching. This significantly reduces the risk of platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR) and facilitates the discovery of novel allelic variants. The database provides essential theoretical and practical guidance for future donor screening and personalised transfusion strategies.

Humans↗

PubMed2004

Role of Sp1, C/EBP alpha, HNF3, and PXR in the basal- and xenobiotic-mediated regulation of the CYP3A4 gene.

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is the major cytochrome P450 present in adult human liver and is involved in the metabolism of over 50% of therapeutic compounds currently in use. Since expression levels of CYP3A4 are regulated by many of these compounds, this raises the potential for drug-drug interactions and subsequent altered efficacy or toxicity of the individual compounds at the dose prescribed. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms of CYP3A4 regulation is of key importance in predicting and understanding such interactions. To examine this we have used DNase I footprinting and bioinformatic analysis to identify putative transcription factor binding sites within the 250 base pairs of promoter proximal to the transcription start site. We identified several protected fragments within this region that corresponded to putative binding sites for Sp1, AP2, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBPalpha), and hepatic nuclear factor-3 (HNF3), as well as confirming previously identified C/EBPalpha, pregnane X receptor (PXR), and HNF3 binding sites. Sequential site-directed mutagenesis of C/EBPalpha, Sp1, HNF3, and PXR binding sites was next used to examine the role of these sites in basal CYP3A4 expression. Disruption of the C/EBPalpha, HNF3, and PXR binding sites all affected basal expression. Finally, the role of these sites was examined in activation of CYP3A4 expression by rifampicin, metyrapone, clotrimazole, and phenobarbital. Disruption of any of these sites either led to an altered pattern of activation by the xenobiotic, as altered maximal activation, or altered the EC(50) value of activation. Such effects were xenobiotic-specific, with each disrupted site playing a role in the activation of some of the xenobiotics.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Identification of the receptor-binding protein in 936-species lactococcal bacteriophages.

The aim of this work was to identify genes responsible for host recognition in the lactococcal phages sk1 and bIL170 belonging to species 936. These phages have a high level of DNA identity but different host ranges. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that homologous genes, orf18 in sk1 and orf20 in bIL170, could be the receptor-binding protein (RBP) genes, since the resulting proteins were unrelated in the C-terminal part and showed homology to different groups of proteins hypothetically involved in host recognition. Consequently, chimeric bIL170 phages carrying orf18 from sk1 were generated. The recombinant phages were able to form plaques on the sk1 host Lactococcus lactis MG1614, and recombination was verified by PCR analysis directly with the plaques. A polyclonal antiserum raised against the C-terminal part of phage sk1 ORF18 was used in immunogold electron microscopy to demonstrate that ORF18 is located at the tip of the tail. Sequence analysis of corresponding proteins from other lactococcal phages belonging to species 936 showed that the N-terminal parts of the RBPs were very similar, while the C-terminal parts varied, suggesting that the C-terminal part plays a role in receptor binding. The phages investigated could be grouped into sk1-like phages (p2, fd13, jj50, and phi 7) and bIL170-like phages (P008, P113G, P272, and bIL66) on the basis of the homology of their RBPs to the C-terminal part of ORF18 in sk1 and ORF20 in bIL170, respectively. Interestingly, sk1-like phages bind to and infect a defined group of L. lactis subsp. cremoris strains, while bIL170-like phages bind to and infect a defined group of L. lactis subsp. lactis strains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Copper ions stimulate polyphosphate degradation and phosphate efflux in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.

For some bacteria and algae, it has been proposed that inorganic polyphosphates and transport of metal-phosphate complexes could participate in heavy metal tolerance. To test for this possibility in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, a microorganism with a high level of resistance to heavy metals, the polyphosphate levels were determined when the bacterium was grown in or shifted to the presence of a high copper concentration (100 mM). Under these conditions, cells showed a rapid decrease in polyphosphate levels with a concomitant increase in exopolyphosphatase activity and a stimulation of phosphate efflux. Copper in the range of 1 to 2 microM greatly stimulated exopolyphosphatase activity in cell extracts from A. ferrooxidans. The same was seen to a lesser extent with cadmium and zinc. Bioinformatic analysis of the available A. ferrooxidans ATCC 23270 genomic sequence did not show a putative pit gene for phosphate efflux but rather an open reading frame similar in primary and secondary structure to that of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae phosphate transporter that is functional at acidic pH (Pho84). Our results support a model for metal detoxification in which heavy metals stimulate polyphosphate hydrolysis and the metal-phosphate complexes formed are transported out of the cell as part of a possibly functional heavy metal tolerance mechanism in A. ferrooxidans.

Acidithiobacillus↗

PubMed2005

Development of a functional genomics platform for Sinorhizobium meliloti: construction of an ORFeome.

The nitrogen-fixing, symbiotic bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti reduces molecular dinitrogen to ammonia in a specific symbiotic context, supporting the nitrogen requirements of various forage legumes, including alfalfa. Determining the DNA sequence of the S. meliloti genome was an important step in plant-microbe interaction research, adding to the considerable information already available about this bacterium by suggesting possible functions for many of the >6,200 annotated open reading frames (ORFs). However, the predictive power of bioinformatic analysis is limited, and putting the role of these genes into a biological context will require more definitive functional approaches. We present here a strategy for genetic analysis of S. meliloti on a genomic scale and report the successful implementation of the first step of this strategy by constructing a set of plasmids representing 100% of the 6,317 annotated ORFs cloned into a mobilizable plasmid by using efficient PCR and recombination protocols. By using integrase recombination to insert these ORFs into other plasmids in vitro or in vivo (B. L. House et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:2806-2815, 2004), this ORFeome can be used to generate various specialized genetic materials for functional analysis of S. meliloti, such as operon fusions, mutants, and protein expression plasmids. The strategy can be generalized to many other genome projects, and the S. meliloti clones should be useful for investigators wanting an accessible source of cloned genes encoding specific enzymes.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Growth phase-dependent response of Helicobacter pylori to iron starvation.

Iron is an essential nutrient that is often found in extremely limited available quantities within eukaryotic hosts. Because of this, many pathogenic bacteria have developed regulated networks of genes important for iron uptake and storage. In addition, it has been shown that many bacteria use available iron concentrations as a signal to regulate virulence gene expression. We have utilized DNA microarray technology to identify genes of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori that are differentially regulated on a growth-inhibiting shift to iron starvation conditions. In addition, the growth phase-dependent expression of these genes was investigated by examining both exponential and stationary growth phase cultures. We identified known iron-regulated genes, as well as a number of genes whose regulation by iron concentration was not previously appreciated. Included in the list of regulated factors were the known virulence genes cagA, vacA, and napA. We examined the effect of iron starvation on the motility of H. pylori and found that exponential- and stationary-phase cultures responded differently to the stress. We further found that while growing cells are rapidly killed by iron starvation, stationary-phase cells show a remarkable ability to survive iron depletion. Finally, bioinformatic analysis of the predicted promoter regions of the differentially regulated genes led to identification of several putative Fur boxes, suggesting a direct role for Fur in iron-dependent regulation of these genes.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Induction of a novel chicken Toll-like receptor following Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a group of highly conserved molecules that initiate the innate immune response to pathogens by recognizing structural motifs expressed by microbes. We have identified a novel TLR, TLR15, by bioinformatic analysis of the chicken genome, which is distinct from any known vertebrate TLR and thus appears to be avian specific. The gene for TLR15 was sequenced and is found on chromosome 3, and it has archetypal TIR and transmembrane domains and a distinctive arrangement of extracellular leucine-rich regions. mRNA for TLR15 was detected in the spleen, bursa, and bone marrow of healthy chickens, suggesting a role for this novel receptor in constitutive host defense. Following in vivo Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection, quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated significant upregulation of TLR15 in the cecum of infected chickens. Interestingly, similar induction of TLR2 expression following infection was also observed. In vitro studies revealed TLR15 upregulation in chicken embryonic fibroblasts stimulated with heat-killed S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. Collectively, these results suggest a role for the TLR in avian defense against bacterial infection. We hypothesize that TLR15 may represent an avian-specific TLR that has been either retained in chicken and lost in other taxa or gained in the chicken.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Composition, acquisition, and distribution of the Vi exopolysaccharide-encoding Salmonella enterica pathogenicity island SPI-7.

Vi capsular polysaccharide production is encoded by the viaB locus, which has a limited distribution in Salmonella enterica serovars. In S. enterica serovar Typhi, viaB is encoded on a 134-kb pathogenicity island known as SPI-7 that is located between partially duplicated tRNA(pheU) sites. Functional and bioinformatic analysis suggests that SPI-7 has a mosaic structure and may have evolved as a consequence of several independent insertion events. Analysis of viaB-associated DNA in Vi-positive S. enterica serovar Paratyphi C and S. enterica serovar Dublin isolates revealed the presence of similar SPI-7 islands. In S. enterica serovars Paratyphi C and Dublin, the SopE bacteriophage and a 15-kb fragment adjacent to the intact tRNA(pheU) site were absent. In S. enterica serovar Paratyphi C only, a region encoding a type IV pilus involved in the adherence of S. enterica serovar Typhi to host cells was missing. The remainder of the SPI-7 islands investigated exhibited over 99% DNA sequence identity in the three serovars. Of 30 other Salmonella serovars examined, 24 contained no insertions at the equivalent tRNA(pheU) site, 2 had a 3.7-kb insertion, and 4 showed sequence variation at the tRNA(pheU)-phoN junction, which was not analyzed further. Sequence analysis of the SPI-7 region from S. enterica serovar Typhi strain CT18 revealed significant synteny with clusters of genes from a variety of saprophytic bacteria and phytobacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri. This analysis suggested that SPI-7 may be a mobile element, such as a conjugative transposon or an integrated plasmid remnant.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2004

mRNA secondary structure modulates translation of Tat-dependent formate dehydrogenase N.

Formate dehydrogenase N (FDH-N) of Escherichia coli is a membrane-bound enzyme comprising FdnG, FdnH, and FdnI subunits organized in an (alphabetagamma)3 configuration. The FdnG subunit carries a Tat-dependent signal peptide, which localizes the protein complex to the periplasmic side of the membrane. We noted that substitution of the first arginine (R5) in the twin arginine signal sequence of FdnG for a variety of other amino acids resulted in a dramatic (up to 60-fold) increase in the levels of protein synthesized. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that the mRNA specifying the first 17 codons of fdnG forms a stable stem-loop structure. A detailed mutational analysis has demonstrated the importance of this mRNA stem-loop in modulating FDH-N translation.

Artificial Gene Fusion↗

PubMed2004

Purification and initial characterization of the Salmonella enterica PduO ATP:Cob(I)alamin adenosyltransferase.

The PduO enzyme of Salmonella enterica is an ATP:cob(I)alamin adenosyltransferase that catalyzes the final step in the conversion of vitamin B(12) to coenzyme B(12). The primary physiological role of this enzyme is to support coenzyme B(12)-dependent 1,2-propanediol degradation, and bioinformatic analysis has indicated that it has two domains. Here the PduO adenosyltransferase was produced in Escherichia coli, solubilized from inclusion bodies, purified to apparent homogeneity, and partially characterized biochemically. The K(m) values of PduO for ATP and cob(I)alamin were 19.8 and 4.5 microM, respectively, and the enzyme V(max) was 243 nmol min(-1) mg of protein(-1). Further investigations showed that PduO was active with ATP and partially active with deoxy-ATP, but lacked measurable activity with other nucleotides. (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance established that triphosphate was a product of the PduO reaction, and kinetic studies indicated a ternary complex mechanism. A series of truncated versions of the PduO protein were produced in Escherichia coli, partially purified, and used to show that adenosyltransferase activity is associated with the N-terminal domain. The N-terminal domain was purified to near homogeneity and shown to have biochemical properties and kinetic constants similar to those of the full-length enzyme. This indicated that the C-terminal domain was not directly involved in catalysis or substrate binding and may have another role.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed2004

Transferable antibiotic resistance elements in Haemophilus influenzae share a common evolutionary origin with a diverse family of syntenic genomic islands.

Transferable antibiotic resistance in Haemophilus influenzae was first detected in the early 1970s. After this, resistance spread rapidly worldwide and was shown to be transferred by a large 40- to 60-kb conjugative element. Bioinformatics analysis of the complete sequence of a typical H. influenzae conjugative resistance element, ICEHin1056, revealed the shared evolutionary origin of this element. ICEHin1056 has homology to 20 contiguous sequences in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Systematic comparison of these homologous sequences resulted in identification of a conserved syntenic genomic island consisting of up to 33 core genes in 16 beta- and gamma-Proteobacteria. These diverse genomic islands shared a common evolutionary origin, insert into tRNA genes, and have diverged widely, with G+C contents ranging from 40 to 70% and amino acid homologies as low as 20 to 25% for shared core genes. These core genes are likely to account for the conjugative transfer of the genomic islands and may even encode autonomous replication. Accessory gene clusters were nestled among the core genes and encode the following diverse major attributes: antibiotic, metal, and antiseptic resistance; degradation of chemicals; type IV secretion systems; two-component signaling systems; Vi antigen capsule synthesis; toxin production; and a wide range of metabolic functions. These related genomic islands include the following well-characterized structures: SPI-7, found in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi; PAP1 or pKLC102, found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; and the clc element, found in Pseudomonas sp. strain B13. This is the first report of a diverse family of related syntenic genomic islands with a deep evolutionary origin, and our findings challenge the view that genomic islands consist only of independently evolving modules.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Conserved repeat motifs and glucan binding by glucansucrases of oral streptococci and Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

Glucansucrases of oral streptococci and Leuconostoc mesenteroides have a common pattern of structural organization and characteristically contain a domain with a series of tandem amino acid repeats in which certain residues are highly conserved, particularly aromatic amino acids and glycine. In some glucosyltransferases (GTFs) the repeat region has been identified as a glucan binding domain (GBD). Such GBDs are also found in several glucan binding proteins (GBP) of oral streptococci that do not have glucansucrase activity. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of 20 glucansucrases and GBP showed the widespread conservation of the 33-residue A repeat first identified in GtfI of Streptococcus downei. Site-directed mutagenesis of individual highly conserved residues in recombinant GBD of GtfI demonstrated the importance of the first tryptophan and the tyrosine-phenylalanine pair in the binding of dextran, as well as the essential contribution of a basic residue (arginine or lysine). A microplate binding assay was developed to measure the binding affinity of recombinant GBDs. GBD of GtfI was shown to be capable of binding glucans with predominantly alpha-1,3 or alpha-1,6 links, as well as alternating alpha-1,3 and alpha-1,6 links (alternan). Western blot experiments using biotinylated dextran or alternan as probes demonstrated a difference between the binding of streptococcal GTF and GBP and that of Leuconostoc glucansucrases. Experimental data and bioinformatics analysis showed that the A repeat motif is distinct from the 20-residue CW motif, which also has conserved aromatic amino acids and glycine and which occurs in the choline-binding proteins of Streptococcus pneumoniae and other organisms.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed2005

The Flag-2 locus, an ancestral gene cluster, is potentially associated with a novel flagellar system from Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli K-12 possesses two adjacent, divergent, promoterless flagellar genes, fhiA-mbhA, that are absent from Salmonella enterica. Through bioinformatics analysis, we found that these genes are remnants of an ancestral 44-gene cluster and are capable of encoding a novel flagellar system, Flag-2. In enteroaggregative E. coli strain 042, there is a frameshift in lfgC that is likely to have inactivated the system in this strain. Tiling path PCR studies showed that the Flag-2 cluster is present in 15 of 72 of the well-characterized ECOR strains. The Flag-2 system resembles the lateral flagellar systems of Aeromonas and Vibrio, particularly in its apparent dependence on RpoN. Unlike the conventional Flag-1 flagellin, the Flag-2 flagellin shows a remarkable lack of sequence polymorphism. The Flag-2 gene cluster encodes a flagellar type III secretion system (including a dedicated flagellar sigma-antisigma combination), thus raising the number of distinct type III secretion systems in Escherichia/Shigella to five. The presence of the Flag-2 cluster at identical sites in E. coli and its close relative Citrobacter rodentium, combined with its absence from S. enterica, suggests that it was acquired by horizontal gene transfer after the former two species diverged from Salmonella. The presence of Flag-2-like gene clusters in Yersinia pestis, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Chromobacterium violaceum suggests that coexistence of two flagellar systems within the same species is more common than previously suspected. The fact that the Flag-2 gene cluster was not discovered in the first 10 Escherichia/Shigella genome sequences studied emphasizes the importance of maintaining an energetic program of genome sequencing for this important taxonomic group.

Aeromonas↗

PubMed2006

Identification of the syr-syp box in the promoter regions of genes dedicated to syringomycin and syringopeptin production by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B301D.

The phytotoxins syringopeptin and syringomycin are synthesized by nonribosomal peptide synthetases which are encoded by the syringomycin (syr) and syringopeptin (syp) genomic island of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Previous studies demonstrated that expression of the syr-syp genes was controlled by the salA-syrF regulatory pathway, which in turn was induced by plant signal molecules. In this study, the 132-kb syr-syp genomic island was found to be organized into five polycistronic operons along with eight individual genes based on reverse transcriptional PCR and bioinformatic analysis. The transcriptional start sites of the salA gene and operons III and IV were located 63, 75, and 104 bp upstream of the start codons of salA, syrP, and syrB1, respectively, using primer extension analysis. The predicted -10/-35 promoter region of operon IV was confirmed based on deletion and site-directed mutagenesis analyses of the syrB1::uidA reporter with beta-glucuronidase assays. A 20-bp conserved sequence (TGtCccgN(6)cggGaCA, termed the syr-syp box) with dyad symmetry around the -35 region was identified via computer analysis for the syr-syp genes/operons responsible for biosynthesis and secretion of syringomycin and syringopeptin. Expression of the syrB1::uidA fusion was decreased 59% when 6 bp was deleted from the 5' end of the syr-syp box in the promoter region of operon IV. These results demonstrate that the conserved promoter sequences of the syr-syp genes contribute to the coregulation of syringomycin and syringopeptin production.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2006

The cobZ gene of Methanosarcina mazei Go1 encodes the nonorthologous replacement of the alpha-ribazole-5'-phosphate phosphatase (CobC) enzyme of Salmonella enterica.

Open reading frame (ORF) Mm2058 of the methanogenic archaeon Methanosarcina mazei strain Gö1 was shown in vivo and in vitro to encode the nonorthologous replacement of the alpha-ribazole-phosphate phosphatase (CobC; EC 3.1.3.73) enzyme of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2. Bioinformatics analysis of sequences available in databases tentatively identified ORF Mm2058, which was cloned under the control of an inducible promoter and was used to support growth of an S. enterica strain under conditions that demanded CobC-like activity. The Mm2058 protein was expressed with a decahistidine tag at its N terminus and was purified to homogeneity using nickel affinity chromatography. High-performance liquid chromatography followed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry showed that the Mm2058 protein had phosphatase activity that converted alpha-ribazole-5'-phosphate to alpha-ribazole, as reported for the bacterial CobC enzyme. On the basis of the data reported here, we refer to ORF Mm2058 as cobZ. We tested the prediction by Rodionov et al. (D. A. Rodionov, A. G. Vitreschak, A. A. Mironov, and M. S. Gelfand, J. Biol. Chem. 278:41148-41159, 2003) that ORF HSL01294 (also called Vng1577) encoded the nonorthologous replacement of the bacterial CobC enzyme in the extremely halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. strain NRC-1. A strain of the latter carrying an in-frame deletion of ORF Vng1577 was not a cobalamin auxotroph, suggesting that either there is redundancy of this function in Halobacterium or the gene was misannotated.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2006

Fast DNA serotyping of Escherichia coli by use of an oligonucleotide microarray.

Classical antibody-based serotyping of Escherichia coli is an important method in diagnostic microbiology for epidemiological purposes, as well as for a rough virulence assessment. However, serotyping is so tedious that its use is restricted to a few reference laboratories. To improve this situation we developed and validated a genetic approach for serotyping based on the microarray technology. The genes encoding the O-antigen flippase (wzx) and the O-antigen polymerase (wzy) were selected as target sequences for the O antigen, whereas fliC and related genes, which code for the flagellar monomer, were chosen as representatives for the H phenotype. Starting with a detailed bioinformatic analysis and oligonucleotide design, an ArrayTube-based assay was established: a fast and robust DNA extraction method was coupled with a site-specific, linear multiplex labeling procedure and hybridization analysis of the biotinylated amplicons. The microarray contained oligonucleotide DNA probes, each in duplicate, representing 24 of the epidemiologically most relevant of the over 180 known O antigens (O antigens 4, 6 to 9, 15, 26, 52, 53, 55, 79, 86, 91, 101, 103, 104, 111, 113, 114, 121, 128, 145, 157, and 172) as well as 47 of the 53 different H antigens (H antigens 1 to 12, 14 to 16, 18 to 21, 23 to 34, 37 to 43, 45, 46, 48, 49, 51 to 54, and 56). Evaluation of the microarray with a set of defined strains representing all O and H serotypes covered revealed that it has a high sensitivity and a high specificity. All of the conventionally typed 24 O groups and all of the 47 H serotypes were correctly identified. Moreover, strains which were nonmotile or nontypeable by previous serotyping assays yielded unequivocal results with the novel ArrayTube assay, which proved to be a valuable alternative to classical serotyping, allowing processing of single colonies within a single working day.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

PubMed2006

Combining multiplex reverse transcription-PCR and a diagnostic microarray to detect and differentiate enterovirus 71 and coxsackievirus A16.

Cluster A enteroviruses, including enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CA16), are known to cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD). Despite the close genetic relationship between these two viruses, EV71 is generally known to be a more perpetuating pathogen involved in severe clinical manifestations and deaths. While the serotyping of enteroviruses is mostly done by conventional immunological methods, many clinical isolates remain unclassifiable due to the limited number of antibodies against enterovirus surface proteins. Array-based assays are able to detect several serotypes with high accuracy. We combined an enterovirus microarray with multiplex reverse transcription-PCR to try to develop a method of sensitively and accurately detecting and differentiating EV71 and CA16. In an effort to design serotype-specific probes for detection of the virus, we first did an elaborate bioinformatic analysis of the sequence database derived from different enterovirus serotypes. We then constructed a microarray using 60-mer degenerate oligonucleotide probes covalently bound to array slides. Using this enterovirus microarray to study 144 clinical specimens from patients infected with HFMD or suspected to have HFMD, we found that it had a diagnostic accuracy of 92.0% for EV71 and 95.8% for CA16. Diagnostic accuracy for other enteroviruses (non-EV71 or -CA16) was 92.0%. All specimens were analyzed in parallel by real-time PCR and subsequently confirmed by neutralization tests. This highly sensitive array-based assay may become a useful alternative in clinical diagnostics of EV71 and CA16.

DNA Probes↗