TY - JOUR ID - 10442/7916 A1 - Noutsios, G. T. A1 - A1 - Papi, R. M. A1 - A1 - Ekateriniadou, L. V. A1 - A1 - Minas, A. A1 - A1 - Kyriakidis, D. A. Y1 - 2008/// T1 - Differentiation of Brucella melitensis field strains from the vaccine strain Rev-1 JF - The FEBS Journal VL - 275 IS - s1 SN - 1742-464X U3 - 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06448.x PB - Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. SP - 419–419EP - UR - https://hdl.handle.net/10442/7916 N2 - Past efforts to differentiate the Brucella spp. have been hampered owing to the high genetic homogeneity among Brucella species. The availability of discriminatory molecular tools to inform and assist conventional epidemiological approaches is invaluable in controlling these infections. The hypervariable octameric oligonucleotide finger-printing method was implemented using microsatellite DNA to genotype Br. melitensis. An eight-base pair tandem repeat sequence was revealed in eight genomic loci of the Br. melitensis genome that existed in various, multiple and random repetitions. Specific primers that were previously described were used to amplify these particular loci. The composition of the omp2 locus from two gene copies with differences in their PstI restriction endonuclease sites was studied in 45 field strains of Br. melitensis and was compared with the vaccine strain Rev-1. Out of the nine loci studied for all samples, four exhibit differences and can be used for differentiating and biotyping of Br. melitensis pathogenic stains from the vaccine strain. In addition the digestion products of the omp2 amplicons by PstI enzyme yielded different fragments between vaccine and field strains of Br. melitensis. Hence contagious field strains can be differentiated from the vaccine strain both with HOOF-prints method and RFLP of omp2 gene. ER -