Molecular Evolution and Identification of Bacillus anthracis Isolated from Korea by Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis

ABSTRACT

Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, has been taxonomically classified into Bacillus subgroup I with B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis based on their phenetic and genetic charateristics. Especially, DNA studies indicated that these species were closely related hence these species has been proposed as a single species with four subspecies. There has been controversy about taxonomy of B. anthracis isolates because none of the simple and rapid identification methods are available for closely related taxa so far. In this study, we have used VNTR analysis for reidentification of 7 strains of B. anthracis and 9 strains of closely related species. In the PCR analysis, All of the B. anthracis had a variable region of DNA sequence exception with Youngdungpo. One polymorphisms were found by the presence of four copies with the 12-bp tandem repeat sequences except Kunja. Of the closely related species, the equal size of (VNTR)' was amplified from Bacillus spp. Kyungjoo 3 and B. cereus. The sequences of Kyungjoo 3 was identical with B. anthracis. Whereas the tandem repeat sequences was not found in B. anthracis Kunja and B. cereus. Therefore, B. anthracis Kunja was finally reidentified as a B. cereus. As a results, the analysis of VNTR could be used for rapid identification for B. anthraicis from B. anthracis closely related taxa and molecular epidemiological studies of anthrax.