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An Allelotyping PCR for Identifying Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis, Hadar, Heidelberg, and Typhimurium
12:18

An Allelotyping PCR for Identifying Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis, Hadar, Heidelberg, and Typhimurium

Published on: July 22, 2011

MLST-v, multilocus sequence typing based on virulence genes, for molecular typing of Salmonella enterica subsp.

B Tankouo-Sandjong1, A Sessitsch, E Liebana

  • 1ARC Seibersdorf Research GmbH, Department of Bioresources, Seibersdorf, Austria.

Journal of Microbiological Methods
|January 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Molecular typing of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) with virulence genes provides a faster alternative to traditional methods. This approach effectively differentiates strains and reveals phylogenetic insights.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica is a significant cause of foodborne illness and systemic infections.
  • Traditional identification methods like serotyping are time-consuming and labor-intensive.
  • Molecular identification offers a potentially faster and more efficient alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the utility of combining housekeeping genes (gyrB, atpD) and flagellar genes (fliC, fljB) for multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of Salmonella.
  • To establish a molecular typing method for rapid and accurate identification of Salmonella strains.
  • To investigate the phylogenetic relationships and origins of different Salmonella serovars.

Main Methods:

  • Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on Salmonella strains using four marker genes: gyrB, atpD, fliC, and fljB.
  • Sequence data from strains across Austria, the UK, and Switzerland were analyzed.
  • Comparative sequence analysis was used to differentiate between serovars and subspecies.

Main Results:

  • A combination of the four selected genes successfully differentiated all analyzed Salmonella strains.
  • The proposed method, termed MLST-v (multilocus sequence typing based on virulence genes), proved effective for molecular typing.
  • Assortative recombination within the fliC gene was observed in seven serovars, suggesting multiple phylogenetic origins.

Conclusions:

  • The combined use of gyrB, atpD, fliC, and fljB genes is a robust method for molecular typing of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica.
  • MLST-v offers a valuable alternative to conventional identification techniques, enhancing speed and accuracy.
  • The findings highlight the complex evolutionary history of certain Salmonella serovars due to recombination events.

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