Identification of an IS711Element Interrupting thewboAGene ofBrucella abortusVaccine Strain RB51 and a PCR Assay To Distinguish Strain RB51 from OtherBrucellaSpecies and Strains

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Brucella abortusvaccine strain RB51 is a natural stable attenuated rough mutant derived from the virulent strain 2308. The genetic mutations that are responsible for the roughness and the attenuation of strain RB51 have not been identified until now. Also, except for an assay based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, no other simple method to differentiate strain RB51 from its parent strain 2308 is available. In the present study, we demonstrate that thewboAgene encoding a glycosyltransferase, an enzyme essential for the synthesis of O antigen, is disrupted by an IS711element inB. abortusvaccine strain RB51. Exploiting this feature, we developed a PCR assay that distinguishes strain RB51 from all otherBrucellaspecies and strains tested.