Genomic analysis of phase I and II Coxiella burnetii with restriction endonucleases

Restriction endonuclease-digested DNAs from several isolates of phase I and phase II Coxiella burnetii were compared using agarose gel electrophoresis and soft-laser scanning densitometry. Our results demonstrate that the two phases are, as previously assumed, alternative phases of the same organism. Although the restriction endonuclease digestion revealed genetic differences between clonal isolates of phase I and phase II C. burnetii Nine Mile strain, these differences do not appear to be related to antigenic phase variation. However, analyses of the fragment patterns generated by restriction enzyme digestion suggest potential grouping of the different isolates.