Development of a multilocus sequence typing scheme for Ureaplasma
1Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
Abstract:
Ureaplasma is a commensal of the human urogenital tract but is always associated with invasive diseases such as non-gonococcal urethritis and infertility adverse pregnancy outcomes. To better understand the molecular epidemiology and population structure of Ureaplasma, a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme based on four housekeeping genes (ftsH, rpL22, valS, thrS) was developed and validated using 283 isolates, including 14 serovars of reference strains and 269 strains obtained from clinical patients. A total of 99 sequence types (STs) were revealed: the 14 type strains of the Ureaplasma serovars were assigned to 12 STs, and 87 novel and special STs appeared among the clinical isolates. ST1 and ST22 were the predominant STs, which contained 68 and 70 isolates, respectively. Two clonal lineages (CC1 and CC2) were shown by eBURST analysis, and linkage disequilibrium was revealed through a standardized index of association (I A (S)). The neighbor-joining tree results of 14 Ureaplasma serovars showed two genetically significantly distant clusters, which was highly congruent with the species taxonomy of ureaplasmas [Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UUR)]. Analysis of the biotypes of 269 clinical isolates revealed that all the isolates of CC1 were UPA and those of CC2 were UUR. Additionally, CC2 was found more often in symptomatic patients with vaginitis, tubal obstruction, and cervicitis. In conclusion, this MLST scheme is adequate for investigations of molecular epidemiology and population structure with highly discriminating capacity.
Insights
A new multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme effectively differentiates Ureaplasma strains, revealing distinct population structures and linking specific lineages to Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum infections.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Ureaplasma is a common human urogenital commensal.
- It is linked to various invasive diseases, including non-gonococcal urethritis, infertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
- Understanding Ureaplasma's molecular epidemiology is crucial for disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for Ureaplasma.
- To analyze the molecular epidemiology and population structure of Ureaplasma clinical isolates.
- To correlate genetic lineages with Ureaplasma species and clinical manifestations.
Main Methods:
- Developed an MLST scheme using four housekeeping genes (ftsH, rpL22, valS, thrS).
- Validated the scheme on 283 Ureaplasma isolates, including reference strains and clinical samples.
- Employed eBURST analysis and neighbor-joining tree construction for population structure analysis.
Main Results:
- Identified 99 unique sequence types (STs), with ST1 and ST22 being predominant.
- Revealed two major clonal lineages (CC1 and CC2), corresponding to Ureaplasma parvum (UPA) and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UUR) respectively.
- CC2 (UUR) was more frequently associated with symptomatic vaginitis, tubal obstruction, and cervicitis.
Conclusions:
- The developed MLST scheme provides high discriminatory power for Ureaplasma molecular epidemiology.
- The study elucidated distinct population structures and species-specific clonal lineages.
- Findings highlight the potential of MLST for understanding Ureaplasma-associated diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Microbiota of the Urogenital Tract
01:29Modern Molecular Taxonomy