The intraspecific genomic relatedness of 80 Vibrio vulnificus isolates, 44 of biotype 1 and 36 of biotype 2, from different geographic origins and sources was evaluated by ribotyping and AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) fingerprinting. Ribopatterns of DNAs digested with KpnI and hybridized with an oligonucleotide complementary to a highly conserved sequence in the 23S rRNA gene rev...

It has long been observed that smooth Brucella can dissociate into rough mutants that are cytotoxic to macrophages. However, the in vivo biological significance and/or mechanistic details of Brucella dissociation and cytotoxicity remain incomplete. In the current report, a plaque assay was developed using Brucella strains exhibiting varying degrees of cytotoxicity. Infected monolayers were obse...

Sequencing of bp26, the gene encoding the Brucella sp. immunogenic BP26 periplasmic protein, was performed in the reference strains of Brucella abortus, B. suis, and B. ovis. The three bp26 sequences were almost identical to that published for B. melitensis 16M bp26, and only minor nucleotide substitutions, without modifying the amino acid sequence, were observed between species. The bp26 genes...

Using-gene-specific radiolabeled probe DNAs, we analyzed 42 clinical bacterial isolates with high-level trimethoprim (Tp) resistance for the presence of a type I or a type II plasmid-specified dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene. Plasmid DNA from 17 strains harbored a type I DHFR, whereas 11 isolates contained plasmids that harbored a type II DHFR structural gene. The plasmid DNAs from five str...

We have developed a sensitive, reliable and accurate procedure for estimating the base composition of small samples of DNAs. This method has been applied to the analysis of genomic DNAs from several sources including large regions of human DNA cloned as yeast artificial chromosomes. To determine whether the human genome is compartmentalized into large segments of homogeneous base composition, w...

Objective(s) Resistance to antimicrobial agents, particularly metronidazole and clarithromycin, is frequently observed in Helicobacter pylori and may be associated with treatment failure. This resistance rate varies according to the population studied. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori isolates from dyspeptic patients in Isfahan. Material...

TT virus (TTV) is an unenveloped, circular, and single-stranded DNA virus commonly infecting human beings worldwide. TTV DNAs in paired serum and liver tissues from three viremic individuals were separated by gel electrophoresis and characterized biophysically. TTV DNAs in sera migrated in sizes ranging from 2.0 to 2.5 kb. TTV DNAs in liver tissues, however, migrated at 2.0 to 2.5 kb as well as...

Human brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease and has widespread geographical distribution. Brucella melitensis has caused outbreaks and sporadic cases in Malaysia. Here, we present the whole-genome sequences of four B. melitensis strains isolated from brucellosis patients in Malaysia.