Distribution of the meningococcal insertion sequence IS1301 in clonal lineages of Neisseria meningitidis. (1/98)

The distribution of the meningococcal insertion sequence IS1301 was analysed in 496 strains of different serogroups and clonal lineages of Neisseria meningitidis, and in 64 neisserial strains other than N. meningitidis. IS1301 was found in meningococci, but not in apathogenic Neisseria sp. and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The copy numbers of IS1301 varied between 2 and 17 per genome. IS1301 positive strains were mostly found among the serogroups 29E, W135, X, and Y. Clonal lineages of serogroup A, B, and C meningococci associated with epidemic meningococcal disease were rarely positive for IS1301.  (+info)

Analysis of lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis in the Neisseriaceae. (2/98)

Neisserial lipooligosaccharide (LOS) contains three oligosaccharide chains, termed the alpha, beta, and gamma chains. We used Southern hybridization experiments on DNA isolated from various Neisseria spp. to determine if strains considered to be nonpathogenic possessed DNA sequences homologous with genes involved in the biosynthesis of these oligosaccharide chains. The presence or absence of specific genes was compared to the LOS profiles expressed by each strain, as characterized by their mobilities on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gel and their reactivities with various LOS-specific monoclonal antibodies. A great deal of heterogeneity was seen with respect to the presence of genes encoding glycosyltransferases in Neisseria. All pathogenic species were found to possess DNA sequences homologous with the lgt gene cluster, a group of genes needed for the synthesis of the alpha chain. Some of these genes were also found to be present in strains considered to be nonpathogenic, such as Neisseria lactamica, N. subflava, and N. sicca. Some nonpathogenic Neisseria spp. were able to express high-molecular-mass LOS structures, even though they lacked the DNA sequences homologous with rfaF, a gene whose product must act before gonococcal and meningococcal LOS can be elongated. Using a PCR amplification strategy, in combination with DNA sequencing, we demonstrated that N. subflava 44 possessed lgtA, lgtB, and lgtE genes. The predicted amino acid sequence encoded by each of these genes suggested that they encoded functional proteins; however, structural analysis of LOS isolated from this strain indicated that the bulk of its LOS was not modified by these gene products. This suggests the existence of an additional regulatory mechanism that is responsible for the limited expression of these genes in this strain.  (+info)

Diagnostics of neisseriaceae and moraxellaceae by ribosomal DNA sequencing: ribosomal differentiation of medical microorganisms. (3/98)

Fast and reliable identification of microbial isolates is a fundamental goal of clinical microbiology. However, in the case of some fastidious gram-negative bacterial species, classical phenotype identification based on either metabolic, enzymatic, or serological methods is difficult, time-consuming, and/or inadequate. 16S or 23S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) bacterial sequencing will most often result in accurate speciation of isolates. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find a hypervariable rDNA stretch, flanked by strongly conserved regions, which is suitable for molecular species identification of members of the Neisseriaceae and Moraxellaceae. The inter- and intrageneric relationships were investigated using comparative sequence analysis of PCR-amplified partial 16S and 23S rDNAs from a total of 94 strains. When compared to the type species of the genera Acinetobacter, Moraxella, and Neisseria, an average of 30 polymorphic positions was observed within the partial 16S rDNA investigated (corresponding to Escherichia coli positions 54 to 510) for each species and an average of 11 polymorphic positions was observed within the 202 nucleotides of the 23S rDNA gene (positions 1400 to 1600). Neisseria macacae and Neisseria mucosa subsp. mucosa (ATCC 19696) had identical 16S and 23S rDNA sequences. Species clusters were heterogeneous in both genes in the case of Acinetobacter lwoffii, Moraxella lacunata, and N. mucosa. Neisseria meningitidis isolates failed to cluster only in the 23S rDNA subset. Our data showed that the 16S rDNA region is more suitable than the partial 23S rDNA for the molecular diagnosis of Neisseriaceae and Moraxellaceae and that a reference database should include more than one strain of each species. All sequence chromatograms and taxonomic and disease-related information are available as part of our ribosomal differentiation of medical microorganisms (RIDOM) web-based service (http://www.ridom.hygiene.uni-wuerzburg.de/). Users can submit a sequence and conduct a similarity search against the RIDOM reference database for microbial identification purposes.  (+info)

Laribacter hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel gram-negative bacterium isolated from a cirrhotic patient with bacteremia and empyema. (4/98)

A bacterium was isolated from the blood and empyema of a cirrhotic patient. The cells were facultatively anaerobic, nonsporulating, gram-negative, seagull shaped or spiral rods. The bacterium grows on sheep blood agar as nonhemolytic, gray colonies 1 mm in diameter after 24 h of incubation at 37 degrees C in ambient air. Growth also occurs on MacConkey agar and at 25 and 42 degrees C but not at 4, 44, and 50 degrees C. The bacterium can grow in 1 or 2% but not 3, 4, or 5% NaCl. No enhancement of growth is observed with 5% CO(2). The organism is aflagellated and nonmotile at both 25 and 37 degrees C. It is oxidase, catalase, urease, and arginine dihydrolase positive, and it reduces nitrate. It does not ferment, oxidize, or assimilate any sugar tested. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that there are 91 base differences (6.2%), 112 base differences (7.7%), and 116 base differences (8.2%) between the bacterium and Microvirgula aerodenitrificans, Vogesella indigofera, and Chromobacterium species, respectively. The G+C content (mean and standard deviation) is 68.0% +/- 2.43%, and the genomic size is about 3 Mb. Based on phylogenetic affiliation, the bacterium belongs to the Neisseriaceae family of the beta-subclass of Proteobacteria. For these reasons, a new genus and species, Laribacter hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed, for which HKU1 is the type strain. Further studies should be performed to ascertain the potential of this bacterium to become an emerging pathogen.  (+info)

Phylogeny of the genus Simonsiella and other members of the Neisseriaceae. (5/98)

16S rDNA was sequenced from 16 strains of the oral commensal Simonsiella and was used to assess relationships between Simonsiella strains and other members of the Neisseriaceae. In all analyses, Simonsiella strains grouped according to established species designations and the mammalian hosts from which they were isolated. The commensals from cats and dogs formed a monophyletic group. The monophyly of the genus Simonsiella, however, could be neither supported nor rejected; deep nodes in the trees were unstable depending on the phylogenetic method or on the particular sequences used in the analysis. Instabilities may be attributable to frequent gene transfer between Neisseria or other members of the Neisseriaceae and Simonsiella.  (+info)

Aquaspirillum dispar Hylemon et al. 1973 and Microvirgula aerodenitrificans Patureau et al. 1998 are subjective synonyms. (6/98)

The 16S rDNA sequences of [Aquaspirillum] dispar LMG 4329(T) and Microvirgula aerodenitrificans SGLY2(T) (=LMG 18919(T)) were found to be very similar (>99 %). DNA-DNA hybridizations between the two strains revealed a high level of DNA-DNA binding (84 %), showing that they represent a single species. M. aerodenitrificans and [A.] dispar were also phenotypically very similar. It is concluded that [A.] dispar and M. aerodenitrificans are subjective synonyms. As [A.] dispar was wrongly assigned to the genus Aquaspirillum, we propose that strains of [A.] dispar must be reclassified in the genus MICROVIRGULA: The name Microvirgula aerodenitrificans must be retained for the unified taxon since it is the type of the genus MICROVIRGULA:  (+info)

Identification of type 4 pili in Kingella denitrificans. (7/98)

Kingella denitrificans is an occasionally pathogenic member of the family Neisseriaceae and is a member of the normal respiratory flora. Electron microscopy, colony morphology types, DNA transformation patterns, and immunoblots suggest that K. denitrificans and K. kingae have type 4 pili. This was confirmed by N-terminal amino acid sequencing for K. denitrificans.  (+info)

Use of cefoperazone MacConkey agar for selective isolation of Laribacter hongkongensis. (8/98)

A new selective medium, cefoperazone MacConkey agar (CMA), was developed for primary isolation of Laribacter hongkongensis from stool. Its performance in quantitative recovery and in a clinical evaluation of 4,741 human diarrheal stool specimens was superior to that of charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar. In addition, with CMA, Arcobacter butzleri was unexpectedly isolated from the stools of six patients.  (+info)