Open AccessIdentification of Legionella Species by Use of an Oligonucleotide Array
Author(s) -
Hsun-Pi Su,
Seng-Kai Tung,
Lei-Ron Tseng,
Wen-Chin Tsai,
Tung-Ching Chung,
Tsung Chain Chang
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.02225-08
Subject(s) - legionella , fastidious organism , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , legionella pneumophila , oligomer restriction , polymerase chain reaction , oligonucleotide , specific identification , bacteria , gene , genetics
The genusLegionella contains a diverse group of motile, asaccharolytic, nutritionally fastidious gram-negative rods.Legionella pneumophila is the most important human pathogen, followed byL. micdadei, L. longbeachae, L. dumoffii , and other rare species. Accurate identification ofLegionella spp. other thanL. pneumophila is difficult because of biochemical inertness and phenotypic identity of different species. The feasibility of using an oligonucleotide array for identification of 18 species ofLegionella was evaluated in this study. The method consisted of PCR amplification of the macrophage infectivity potentiatormip gene, followed by hybridization of the digoxigenin-labeled PCR products to a panel of 30 oligonucleotide probes (16- to 24-mers) immobilized on a nylon membrane. A collection of 144 target strains (strains we aimed to identify) and 50 nontarget strains (44 species) were analyzed by the array. Both test sensitivity (144/144 strains) and specificity (50/50 strains) of the array were 100%. The whole procedure for identification ofLegionella species by the array can be finished within a working day, starting from isolated colonies. It was concluded that species identification of clinically relevantLegionella spp. by the array method is very reliable and can be used as an accurate alternative to conventional or other molecular methods for identification ofLegionella spp.