Isolation of an asporogenic (spoOA) protective antigen-producing strain of Bacillus anthracis

1 January 1999

journal article
Published by Canadian Science Publishing in Canadian Journal of Microbiology

Vol. 45 (1) , 1-8
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjm-45-1-1

Abstract

We found that Congo red agar allows identification of sporulation-deficient Bacillus anthracis. Using Congo red agar, we isolated an asporogenic derivative of the protective antigen-producing strain B. anthracis delta Sterne-1(pPA102). Polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization analyses of DNA from the asporogenic mutant revealed that a deletion was present in spoOA, an essential gene for the initiation of sporulation. The deletion also encompassed the spoIVB homologue and a portion of the recN homologue. The avirulent spoOA strain delta Sterne-1(pPA102)CR4 is suitable for the safe production of protective antigen without endospore contamination of the vaccine production facility.

Keywords

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: