Biomaterial Database

Bacteria genome fingerprinting by flow cytometry. 1999

Z Huang, and J H Jett, and R A Keller

Chemical Science and Technology Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico 87545, USA.

BACKGROUND A flow cytometry-based, ultrasensitive fluorescence detection technique has been developed that demonstrates unique advantages in the analysis of large DNA fragments over the currently most widely used technology, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The technique described herein is used to characterize the restriction fingerprints of the bacteria genome Staphylococcus aureus in this study. METHODS The isolation of the bacterial genomic DNA and the subsequent complete digestion by a restriction endonuclease were performed inside an agarose plug. Electroelution was used to move the DNA fragments out-of the agarose plug into a solution containing low concentrations of spermine and spermidine, added to stabilize the large DNA fragments. DNA was stained with the bisintercalating dye thiazole orange homodimer (TOTO-1) and subsequently introduced into our ultrasensitive flow cytometer from a capillary. RESULTS Individual DNA fragments up to 351 kbp were successfully handled and sized. The histograms of the burst sizes were generated from signals associated with individual fragments in <7 min with <2 pg of DNA. The sizing accuracy was better than 98%. In contrast, standard PFGE takes approximately 20 h and requires approximately 1 microg of DNA with a sizing accuracy of approximately 90%. CONCLUSIONS With the demonstrated success and advantages, our approach has the potential of being applied to fast, accurate bacteria species and strain identification.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011073	Polyamines	Amine compounds that consist of carbon chains or rings containing two or more primary amino groups.	Polyamine
D004269	DNA, Bacterial	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria.	Bacterial DNA
D004587	Electrophoresis, Agar Gel	Electrophoresis in which agar or agarose gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Electrophoresis, Agarose Gel,Agar Gel Electrophoresis,Agarose Gel Electrophoresis,Gel Electrophoresis, Agar,Gel Electrophoresis, Agarose
D005434	Flow Cytometry	Technique using an instrument system for making, processing, and displaying one or more measurements on individual cells obtained from a cell suspension. Cells are usually stained with one or more fluorescent dyes specific to cell components of interest, e.g., DNA, and fluorescence of each cell is measured as it rapidly transverses the excitation beam (laser or mercury arc lamp). Fluorescence provides a quantitative measure of various biochemical and biophysical properties of the cell, as well as a basis for cell sorting. Other measurable optical parameters include light absorption and light scattering, the latter being applicable to the measurement of cell size, shape, density, granularity, and stain uptake.	Cytofluorometry, Flow,Cytometry, Flow,Flow Microfluorimetry,Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting,Microfluorometry, Flow,Cell Sorting, Fluorescence-Activated,Cell Sortings, Fluorescence-Activated,Cytofluorometries, Flow,Cytometries, Flow,Flow Cytofluorometries,Flow Cytofluorometry,Flow Cytometries,Flow Microfluorometries,Flow Microfluorometry,Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting,Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sortings,Microfluorimetry, Flow,Microfluorometries, Flow,Sorting, Fluorescence-Activated Cell,Sortings, Fluorescence-Activated Cell
D013095	Spermidine	A polyamine formed from putrescine. It is found in almost all tissues in association with nucleic acids. It is found as a cation at all pH values, and is thought to help stabilize some membranes and nucleic acid structures. It is a precursor of spermine.
D013096	Spermine	A biogenic polyamine formed from spermidine. It is found in a wide variety of organisms and tissues and is an essential growth factor in some bacteria. It is found as a polycation at all pH values. Spermine is associated with nucleic acids, particularly in viruses, and is thought to stabilize the helical structure.
D013211	Staphylococcus aureus	Potentially pathogenic bacteria found in nasal membranes, skin, hair follicles, and perineum of warm-blooded animals. They may cause a wide range of infections and intoxications.
D015252	Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific	Enzyme systems containing a single subunit and requiring only magnesium for endonucleolytic activity. The corresponding modification methylases are separate enzymes. The systems recognize specific short DNA sequences and cleave either within, or at a short specific distance from, the recognition sequence to give specific double-stranded fragments with terminal 5'-phosphates. Enzymes from different microorganisms with the same specificity are called isoschizomers. EC 3.1.21.4.	DNA Restriction Enzymes, Type II,DNase, Site-Specific, Type II,Restriction Endonucleases, Type II,Type II Restriction Enzymes,DNase, Site Specific, Type II,Deoxyribonucleases, Type II, Site Specific,Deoxyribonucleases, Type II, Site-Specific,Site-Specific DNase, Type II,Type II Site Specific DNase,Type II Site Specific Deoxyribonucleases,Type II Site-Specific DNase,Type II Site-Specific Deoxyribonucleases,Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site Specific,Site Specific DNase, Type II
D015373	Bacterial Typing Techniques	Procedures for identifying types and strains of bacteria. The most frequently employed typing systems are BACTERIOPHAGE TYPING and SEROTYPING as well as bacteriocin typing and biotyping.	Bacteriocin Typing,Biotyping, Bacterial,Typing, Bacterial,Bacterial Biotyping,Bacterial Typing,Bacterial Typing Technic,Bacterial Typing Technics,Bacterial Typing Technique,Technic, Bacterial Typing,Technics, Bacterial Typing,Technique, Bacterial Typing,Techniques, Bacterial Typing,Typing Technic, Bacterial,Typing Technics, Bacterial,Typing Technique, Bacterial,Typing Techniques, Bacterial,Typing, Bacteriocin
D016172	DNA Fingerprinting	A technique for identifying individuals of a species that is based on the uniqueness of their DNA sequence. Uniqueness is determined by identifying which combination of allelic variations occur in the individual at a statistically relevant number of different loci. In forensic studies, RESTRICTION FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM of multiple, highly polymorphic VNTR LOCI or MICROSATELLITE REPEAT loci are analyzed. The number of loci used for the profile depends on the ALLELE FREQUENCY in the population.	DNA Fingerprints,DNA Profiling,DNA Typing,Genetic Fingerprinting,DNA Fingerprint,DNA Fingerprintings,DNA Profilings,DNA Typings,Fingerprint, DNA,Fingerprinting, DNA,Fingerprinting, Genetic,Fingerprintings, DNA,Fingerprintings, Genetic,Fingerprints, DNA,Genetic Fingerprintings,Profiling, DNA,Typing, DNA,Typings, DNA