Open AccessEvaluation of multiple‐locus variable number of tandem‐repeats analysis (MLVA) as a method for identification of clonal groups among enteropathogenic, enterohaemorrhagic and avirulent Escherichia coli O26 strains
Author(s) -
Miko Angelika,
Lindstedt BjørnArne,
Brandal Lin T.,
Løbersli Inger,
Beutin Lothar
Publication year - 2010
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.1574-6968.2009.01874.x
Subject(s) - multiple loci vntr analysis , variable number tandem repeat , biology , tandem repeat , identification (biology) , genetics , locus (genetics) , enteropathogenic escherichia coli , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , genome , gene , genotype , botany
A published multiple‐locus variable number of tandem‐repeats analysis (MLVA) scheme was compared with pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for genotyping of 62 Escherichia coli O26 strains from humans, animals and food. The strains were isolated between 1947 and 2006 in eight countries on three continents and divided into 23 enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), 33 enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), one enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and five avirulent strains. ETEC and avirulent E. coli serotyped as O26:H32. EHEC and EPEC O26 strains shared flagellar type H11 and the eae ‐β gene, and divided into two clonal lineages by their arcA gene sequence and fermentation of rhamnose and dulcitol. The rhamnose/dulcitol‐nonfermenting (RDF−), ‘arcA allele 1’ type comprised 22 EHEC and 15 EPEC strains. The rhamnose/dulcitol‐fermenting (RDF+), ‘arcA allele 2’ type encompassed 17 EPEC and one EHEC strain. PFGE typing of the 62 O26 strains revealed 54 distinct patterns, whereas 29 profiles were obtained by MLVA. Like PFGE, MLVA divided RDF− and RDF+ O26:[H11] strains into two distinct clusters of related strains. The O26:H32 strains formed a separate PFGE cluster and two clusters by MLVA. MLVA was found as suitable, but more rapid and easier to standardize than PFGE for identifying genetically related E. coli O26 strains.