Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (한국미생물·생명공학회)
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Generation of a Specific Marker to Discriminate Bacillus anthracis from Other Bacteria of the Bacillus cereus Group

  • Kim, Hyoung-Tai (Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University) ;
  • Seo, Gwi-Moon (Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University) ;
  • Jung, Kyoung-Hwa (Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kim, Seong-Joo (Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kim, Jee-Cheon (Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University) ;
  • Oh, Kwang-Geun (Department of Bioprocess Technology, BioPolytechnic College) ;
  • Koo, Bon-Sung (Microbial Genetics Division, National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, RDA) ;
  • Chai, Young-Gyu (Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University)
  • Published : 2007.05.31
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Abstract

Bacillus anthracis is a soil pathogen capable of causing anthrax that is closely related to several environmental species, including B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis. DNA homology studies showed that B. anthracis, B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis are closely related, with a high sequence homology. To establish a method to specifically detect B. anthracis in situations such as environmental contamination, we initially performed RAPD-PCR with a 10-mer random primer and confirmed the presence of specific PCR bands only in B. anthracis species. One region specific for B. anthracis was cloned and sequenced, and an internal primer set was designed to amplify a 241-bp DNA fragment within the sequenced region. The PCR system involving these specific primer sets has practical applications. Using lyses methods to prepare the samples for PCR, it was possible to quickly amplify the 241-bp DNA segment from samples containing only a few bacteria. Thus, the PCR detection method developed in this study is expected to facilitate the monitoring of environmental B. anthracis contamination.

Keywords

References

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