Pyrosequencing Bacillus anthracis

Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Oct;11(10):1527-31. doi: 10.3201/eid1110.041316.

Abstract

Pyrosequencing technology is a sequencing method that screens DNA nucleotide incorporation in real time. A set of coupled enzymatic reactions, together with bioluminescence, detects incorporated nucleotides in the form of light pulses, which produces a profile of characteristic peaks in a pyrogram. We used this technology to identify the warfare agent Bacillus anthracis by sequencing 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the rpoB gene as chromosomal markers for B. anthracis. In addition, 1 segment in each of the B. anthracis plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 was analyzed to determine the virulence status of the bacterial strains. Pyrosequencing technology is a powerful method to identify B. anthracis.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacillus / classification
  • Bacillus / genetics
  • Bacillus anthracis / classification*
  • Bacillus anthracis / genetics*
  • Bacillus anthracis / pathogenicity
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques*
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / genetics*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Species Specificity
  • Virulence

Substances

  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • RNA polymerase beta subunit