Phenotypic and Molecular-Genetic Peculiarities of Yersinia pestis Strains from Trans-Baikal Steppe Plague Focus

Abstract

The paper contains the data on the complex phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Yersinia pestisstrains isolated in Trans-Baikal steppe plague focus before and after the succession of the main carrier which took place in the 1960s. Based on the PCR-analysis and multilocus sequence typing of glpD, melB, napA, rhaA, and iclR genes, encoding differentially significant properties such as glycerin, melibiose, rhamnose fermentation, isocitrate lyase production, and denitrification activity, developed are the proofs of affiliation of the studied strains to the biovariant antiqua of the plague agent main subspecies. Multilocus VNTR-analysis by seven locuses of variable tandem repeats – ms01, ms04, ms06, ms07, ms46, ms62 – has been used to establish genetic relations between the strains. Thus on the basis of the results obtained, it is established that the strains of the plague agent, isolated in the Trans-Baikal steppe focus in various periods of its existence, form one common branch on the phylogenetic tree of Y. pestis evolution.

Keywords

• возбудитель чумы
• природные очаги
• биовары
• фенотипическая и генетическая характеристика штаммов
• генотипирование
• plague agent
• natural foci
• biovars
• phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of strains
• genotyping