Genetics of metabolic variations between Yersinia pestis biovars and the proposal of a new biovar, microtus - PubMed (original) (raw)

Comparative Study

. 2004 Aug;186(15):5147-52.

doi: 10.1128/JB.186.15.5147-5152.2004.

Zongzhong Tong, Yajun Song, Yanping Han, Decui Pei, Xin Pang, Junhui Zhai, Min Li, Baizhong Cui, Zhizhen Qi, Lixia Jin, Ruixia Dai, Zongmin Du, Jin Wang, Zhaobiao Guo, Jian Wang, Peitang Huang, Ruifu Yang

Affiliations

Comparative Study

Genetics of metabolic variations between Yersinia pestis biovars and the proposal of a new biovar, microtus

Dongsheng Zhou et al. J Bacteriol. 2004 Aug.

Abstract

Yersinia pestis has been historically divided into three biovars: antiqua, mediaevalis, and orientalis. On the basis of this study, strains from Microtus-related plague foci are proposed to constitute a new biovar, microtus. Based on the ability to ferment glycerol and arabinose and to reduce nitrate, Y. pestis strains can be assigned to one of four biovars: antiqua (glycerol positive, arabinose positive, and nitrate positive), mediaevalis (glycerol positive, arabinose positive, and nitrate negative), orientalis (glycerol negative, arabinose positive, and nitrate positive), and microtus (glycerol positive, arabinose negative, and nitrate negative). A 93-bp in-frame deletion in glpD gene results in the glycerol-negative characteristic of biovar orientalis strains. Two kinds of point mutations in the napA gene may cause the nitrate reduction-negative characteristic in biovars mediaevalis and microtus, respectively. A 122-bp frameshift deletion in the araC gene may lead to the arabinose-negative phenotype of biovar microtus strains. Biovar microtus strains have a unique genomic profile of gene loss and pseudogene distribution, which most likely accounts for the human attenuation of this new biovar. Focused, hypothesis-based investigations on these specific genes will help delineate the determinants that enable this deadly pathogen to be virulent to humans and give insight into the evolution of Y. pestis and plague pathogenesis. Moreover, there may be the implications for development of biovar microtus strains as a potential vaccine.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIG. 1.

FIG. 1.

Graphic representation of the primer locations in genes glpD (a), napA (b), and araC (c).

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Deng, W., V. Burland, G. Plunkett, A. Boutin, G. F. Mayhew, P. Liss, N. T. Perna, D. J. Rose, B. Mau, S. Zhou, D. C. Schwartz, J. D. Fetherston, L. E. Lindler, R. R. Brubaker, G. V Plano, S. C. Straley, K. A. McDonough, M. L. Nilles, J. S. Matson, F. R. Blattner, and R. D. Perry. 2002. Genome sequence of Yersinia pestis KIM. J. Bacteriol. 184:4601-4611. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dias, J. M., M. E. Than, A. Humm, R. Huber, G. P. Bourenkov, and H. D. Bartunik. 1999. Crystal structure of the first dissimilatory nitrate reductase at 1.9 Å solved by MAD methods. Struct. Fold Des. 7:65-79. - PubMed
    1. Fan, Z., Y. Luo, S. Wang, L. Jin, X. Zhou, J. Liu, Y. Zhang, and F. Li. 1995. Microtus brandti plague in the Xilin Gol Grassland was inoffensive to humans. Chin. J. Control Endem. Dis. 10:56-57. (In Chinese.)
    1. Gonzalez, M. D., C. A. Lichtensteiger, R. Caughlan, and E. R. Vimr. 2002. Conserved filamentous prophage in Escherichia coli O18:K1:H7 and Yersinia pestis biovar Orientalis. J. Bacteriol. 184:6050-6055. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Liu, Z., R. Hai, and F. Li. 2001. The discovery and study of Microtus fuscus natural plague foci in Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Chin. J. Control Endem. Dis. 16:321-327. (In Chinese.)

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources