Open AccessPhylogenetic position of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and the relationship among its antigenic variants by analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences
Author(s) -
Ohashi Norio,
Fukuhara Masahiro,
Shimada Masahiko,
Tamura Akira
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1995.tb07372.x
Subject(s) - biology , phylogenetic tree , rickettsia , 16s ribosomal rna , phylogenetics , gene , genetics , orientia tsutsugamushi , ribosomal rna , scrub typhus , virus
Abstract The 16S rRNA gene sequences of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia sibirica were determined by PCR and DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that R. sibirica is positioned in a cluster of the genus Rickettsia with a similarity value of 98.1–99.6%, whereas R. tsutsugamushi is located apart from the cluster with a similarity value of 90.2–90.6%. This evidence suggests that R. tsutsugamushi should be excluded taxonomically from the genus Rickettsia . The phylogenetic classification of six antigenic variants in R. tsutsugamushi moderately reflected their antigenic relationship known in closely and distantly related strains.