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Characterization of the Lancefield group C streptococcus 16S-23S RNA gene intergenic spacer and its potential for identification and sub-specific typing.
Abstract: The 16S-23S RNA gene intergenic spacers of isolates of Streptococcus equi (n = 5), S. zooepidemicus (n = 5), S. equisimilis (n = 3) and S. dysgalactiae (n = 2) were sequenced and compared. There were distinct regions within the spacer, arranged in the order 1-9 for all S. equi and one S. zooepidemicus isolate and 1,2 and 4-9 for the remaining isolates. Region 4 was identical to the tRNA(ala) gene found in the 16S-23S intergenic spacers of other streptococci. Regions 1, 5, 6 and 7 had distinct variations, each conserved in different isolates. However, amongst the intergenic spacers there were different combinations of variant regions, suggesting a role for DNA recombination in their evolution. The intergenic spacer of all isolates of S. equi and one S. zooepidemicus isolate were almost identical. Primers derived from the variant sequences of regions 1 and 5 to 6 were used to group all S. zooepidemicus (n = 17) and S. equi (n = 5) into 1 of 8 types by polymerase chain reaction; three S. zooepidemicus isolates typed the same as S. equi. S. equi and S. zooepidemicus were clearly distinguishable from S. equisimilis and S. dysgalactiae which had shorter regions 5 and 6 and no region 7. Most homology for the group C sequences was found in previously published sequences for the 16S-23S intergenic spacers of S. anginosis, S. constellatus, S. intermedius, S. salivarius and S. agalactiae. A 75-90 nucleotide length shared with S. anginosus and S. intermedius in opposite orientations in the two main variants of region 6 supported the role for DNA recombination in the evolution of the spacer. The 16S-23S intergenic spacers indicate that S. zooepidemicus was the archetypal species for S. equi and that both are genetically more distant from S. equisimilis and S. dysgalactiae. The intergenic spacer can be used to identify specifically the group C streptococci and as an epidemiological marker for S. zooepidemicus.
Publication Date: 1997-04-01 PubMed ID: 9129589PubMed Central: PMC2808778DOI: 10.1017/s0950268896007285Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research focuses on understanding the intergenic spacers among various streptococcus species and exploiting these variations for species identification and typing.
Identification of Streptococcus species through Intergenic spacers
An array of Streptococcus isolates were studied in this research, including S. equi, S. zooepidemicus, S. equisimilis, and S. dysgalactiae. Their 16S-23S RNA gene intergenic spacers, the non-coding regions between genes that might have regulatory functions, were sequenced.
- The researchers observed distinct regions within the spacer in a specific order in all S. equi and one S. zooepidemicus isolate. For other isolates, slightly different orders were noticed.
- They identified a region, region 4, which was identical to the tRNA(ala) gene found in the intergenic spacers of other streptococci species. This suggests a common ancestry or similar evolutionary pressures across these species.
- They noted distinct variations, conserved among different isolates, in regions 1, 5, 6, and 7 of the intergenic spacer.
- These variations suggest a role for DNA recombination events in the evolution of these spacers.
Primers and Polymerase Chain Reaction in Streptococcus differentiation
Primers, short pieces of DNA that are necessary for DNA replication, were derived from the distinct variant sequences of the aforementioned regions.
- These primers were successively used to categorize various isolates of S. zooepidemicus and S. equi into one of eight types via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a common technique for amplifying specific DNA segments.
- Interestingly, three S. zooepidemicus isolates were of the same type as S. equi.
- S. equi and S. zooepidemicus were discernible from S. equisimilis and S. dysgalactiae, which displayed shorter regions 5 and 6 and lacked region 7. This provides a genetic method to distinguish these groups of bacteria.
Intergenic Spacer as a Marker for Streptococcus Identification
The research concludes that the 16S-23S intergenic spacer can be used to identify group C streptococci.
- Most homology for the group C sequences was found in previously published sequences for other Streptococcus species such as S. anginosis, S. constellatus, S. intermedius, S. salivarius, and S. agalactiae.
- The researchers propose S. zooepidemicus as the archetype species for S. equi, based on their similarities and differ substantially from S. equisimilis and S. dysgalactiae.
- The results suggest the potential for these intergenic spacer regions to be used as an epidemiological marker for S. zooepidemicus in addition to distinguishing group C streptococci.
Cite This Article
APA
Chanter N, Collin N, Holmes N, Binns M, Mumford J.
(1997).
Characterization of the Lancefield group C streptococcus 16S-23S RNA gene intergenic spacer and its potential for identification and sub-specific typing.
Epidemiol Infect, 118(2), 125-135.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0950268896007285 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Base Sequence
- Genetic Variation
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- RNA, Bacterial / analysis
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis
- RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / analysis
- Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
- Serotyping
- Streptococcal Infections / microbiology
- Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
- Streptococcus equi / classification
- Streptococcus equi / genetics
Citations
This article has been cited 15 times.- Tian Y, Su Y, Jiang X, Su L, Zhang B, Lv F. Comparative genomic and virulence analyses of a novel sequence type 420 Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus isolated from donkey. Virulence 2025 Dec;16(1):2525964.
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