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Variation within Mycobacterium scrofulaceum
Author(s) -
Khosravi A.D.,
Stanford J.L.,
Donoghue H.D.,
Rook G.A.W.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2672.1997.00272.x
Subject(s) - biology , haeiii , microbiology and biotechnology , genetic variation , mycobacterium , restriction fragment length polymorphism , bacteria , gene , genotype , genetics
The purpose of this study was to identify Mycobacterium scrofulaceum reliably and rapidly and investigate diversity within the species. Fifty‐four cultures were identified as Myco. scrofulaceum by preliminary cultural and biochemical tests, thin‐layer chromatography and double diffusion. These strains were examined by PCR based on the 65 kDa heat stress protein gene, followed by restriction enzyme analysis of the product with Bst EII and Hae III. This produced seven groups, most with fewer fragments than had been reported previously. The technique was a rapid and reliable method for studying variation within Myco. scrofulaceum but alone, was unable to discriminate between some of these variants and other genetically similar species. When PCR‐RFLP results were combined with biochemical tests, the major groups appeared to relate to different disease situations and thus, may have some epidemiological value.