Strain typing of Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii by using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis

Farlow, Jason and Postic, Danielle and Smith, Kimothy L. and Jay, Zack and Baranton, Guy and Keim, Paul (2002) Strain typing of Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii by using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 40 (12). pp. 4612-4618. ISSN 1098-660X

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Abstract

Human Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most prevalent arthropod-borne infection in temperate climate zones around the world and is caused by Borrelia spirochetes. We have identified 10 variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) loci present within the genome of Borrelia burgdorferi and subsequently developed a multiple-locus VNTR analysis (MLVA) typing system for this disease agent. We report here the successful application of MLVA for strain discrimination among a group of 41 globally diverse Borrelia isolates including B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii, and B. garinii. PCR assays displayed diversity at these loci, with total allele numbers ranging from two to nine and Nei's diversity (D) values ranging from 0.10 to 0.87. The average D value was 0.53 across all VNTR loci. A clear correlation exists between the repeat copy number and the D value (r=0.62) or the number of alleles (r=0.93) observed across diverse strains. Cluster analysis by the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means resolved the 30 observed unique Borrelia genotypes into five distinct groups. B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii, and B. garinii clustered into distinct affiliations, consistent with current 16S rRNA phylogeny studies. Genetic similarity and diversity suggest that B. afzelii and B. garinii are close relatives and were perhaps recently derived from B. burgdorferi. MLVA provides both phylogenetic relationships and additional resolution to discriminate among strains of Borrelia species. This new level of strain identification and discrimination will allow more detailed epidemiological and phylogenetic analysis in future studies.

Item Type:	Article
ID number or DOI:	10.1128/JCM.40.12.4612-4618.2002
Keywords:	Borrelia species variable number tandem repeat characterization allele; genotyping Borrelia species; multilocus VNTR analysis; PCR
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Faculty/Staff
Department/Unit:	College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Science > Biological Sciences
Date Deposited:	29 Jan 2016 21:48
URI:	http://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/832

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