A new double digestion ligation mediated suppression PCR method for simultaneous bacteria DNA-typing and confirmation of species: an Acinetobacter sp. model

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 18;9(12):e115181. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115181. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

We have designed a new ddLMS PCR (double digestion Ligation Mediated Suppression PCR) method based on restriction site polymorphism upstream from the specific target sequence for the simultaneous identification and differentiation of bacterial strains. The ddLMS PCR combines a simple PCR used for species or genus identification and the LM PCR strategy for strain differentiation. The bacterial identification is confirmed in the form of the PCR product(s), while the length of the PCR product makes it possible to differentiate between bacterial strains. If there is a single copy of the target sequence within genomic DNA, one specific PCR product is created (simplex ddLMS PCR), whereas for multiple copies of the gene the fingerprinting patterns can be obtained (multiplex ddLMS PCR). The described ddLMS PCR method is designed for rapid and specific strain differentiation in medical and microbiological studies. In comparison to other LM PCR it has substantial advantages: enables specific species' DNA-typing without the need for pure bacterial culture selection, is not sensitive to contamination with other cells or genomic DNA, and gives univocal "band-based" results, which are easy to interpret. The utility of ddLMS PCR was shown for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (Acb) complex, the genetically closely related and phenotypically similar species and also important nosocomial pathogens, for which currently, there are no recommended methods for screening, typing and identification. In this article two models are proposed: 3' recA-ddLMS PCR-MaeII/RsaI for Acb complex interspecific typing and 5' rrn-ddLMS PCR-HindIII/ApaI for Acinetobacter baumannii intraspecific typing. ddLMS PCR allows not only for DNA-typing but also for confirmation of species in one reaction. Also, practical guidelines for designing a diagnostic test based on ddLMS PCR for genotyping different species of bacteria are provided.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter / classification
  • Acinetobacter / genetics*
  • DNA Ligases / chemistry
  • DNA Restriction Enzymes / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • Molecular Typing / methods*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA Restriction Enzymes
  • DNA Ligases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the State Committee for Scientific Research, Poland (grant no N N401 101138 to KS BK) and the Department of Microbiology, Gdańsk University of Technology. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.