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Genetic diversity at alkB locus in Brucella abortus
C Marianelli1, G La Rosa, F Ciuchini
1Dipartimento di Sanità Alimentare ed Animale, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy. cinzia.marianelli@iss.it
Summary
The IS711 DNA element was identified in Brucella abortus, revealing significant genetic diversity across different biovars and strains. This repetitive element offers potential for identifying new molecular markers for Brucella species identification.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The alkB gene is crucial for DNA repair mechanisms in bacteria.
- Brucella abortus exhibits distinct biovars with varying genetic characteristics.
- Understanding genetic diversity within Brucella is essential for accurate identification and control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the DNA polymorphism of the alkB gene in Brucella abortus.
- To characterize the IS711 repetitive element in Brucella abortus.
- To assess the potential of IS711 as a molecular marker for Brucella species.
Main Methods:
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was employed to analyze the alkB gene.
- Nucleotide sequencing was performed to determine the complete sequence of IS711.
- Bioinformatic analysis was used to compare IS711 elements across different Brucella species.
Main Results:
- The IS711 DNA repetitive element was detected in all studied Brucella abortus biovars.
- IS711 was found to be 840 bp long, bounded by imperfect inverted repeats, and duplicated a CTAG target site.
- Significant variations in length and nucleotide composition of IS711 were observed among different Brucella species, strains, and even within the same strain.
Conclusions:
- The IS711 element exhibits considerable heterogeneity within the Brucella genus.
- IS711 can be utilized to evaluate gene and genome diversity in Brucella.
- IS711 represents a promising tool for the development of novel molecular markers for Brucella species identification.