Clear distinction between Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei using fluorescent motB primers

Acta Vet Scand. 2015 Mar 7;57(1):13. doi: 10.1186/s13028-015-0104-4.

Abstract

Background: A frame-shift mutation in the flagellum motor gene motB coding for the chemotaxis MotB protein of Burkholderia mallei has been utilized to design a conventional duplex PCR assay with fluorescent labelled primers.

Findings: Species specificity was tested with a panel of 13 Burkholderia type strains. A total of 41 B. mallei field strains, 36 B. pseudomallei field strains, and 1 B. thailandensis field strain from different geographic regions were tested and correctly identified. Testing of 55 non-Burkholderia bacterial species revealed 100% specificity of the assay. The minimum detection limit was 1 pg DNA or 160 GE for B. mallei and 130 GE for B. pseudomallei, respectively.

Conclusions: This assay enables the clear distinction between B. mallei and B. pseudomallei/B. thailandensis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Burkholderia mallei / classification*
  • Burkholderia mallei / genetics
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / classification*
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / genetics
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • MotB protein, Bacteria