fimA genotypes and multilocus sequence types of Porphyromonas gingivalis from patients with periodontitis

J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Jan;46(1):31-42. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00986-07. Epub 2007 Oct 31.

Abstract

Fimbriae are important virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria, facilitating their attachment to host and bacterial cells. In the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, the fimA gene is classified into six types (genotypes I, Ib, II, III, IV, and V) on the basis of different nucleotide sequences, with fimA genotypes II and IV being prevalent in isolates from patients with periodontitis. The aims of this study were to examine the distribution of fimA genotypes in a collection of 82 P. gingivalis isolates from adult periodontitis patients of worldwide origin and to investigate the relationship between the fimA genotypes and the sequence types (STs), as determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), of the isolates. The fimA gene was amplified by PCR with primer sets specific for each genotype. The STs of all strains were assigned according to the MLST database for P. gingivalis (www.pubmlst.org/pgingivalis). The 82 strains showed extensive genetic diversity and were assigned to 69 STs. Only isolates with closely related STs harbored the same fimA genotype. Twenty-eight (34.1%) strains harbored fimA genotype II, while only the reference strain for fimA genotype V reacted with the primers specific for this genotype. Twenty-one isolates (25.6%) were positive by more than one of the fimA PCR assays; the most frequent combinations were genotypes I, Ib, and II (eight isolates) and genotypes I and II (four isolates). Sequencing of the fimA gene from selected isolates did not support the observed specific fimA genotype combinations, suggesting that the genotyping method used for the major fimbriae in P. gingivalis should be reevaluated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Fimbriae Proteins / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Periodontitis / microbiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Porphyromonas gingivalis / classification*
  • Porphyromonas gingivalis / genetics*
  • Porphyromonas gingivalis / isolation & purification
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • fimbrillin
  • Fimbriae Proteins