PHYLOGENETIC POSITION OF THE SPIROCHETAL GENUS CRISTISPIRA

Citation
Bj. Paster et al., PHYLOGENETIC POSITION OF THE SPIROCHETAL GENUS CRISTISPIRA, Applied and environmental microbiology, 62(3), 1996, pp. 942-946
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology,"Biothechnology & Applied Migrobiology
ISSN journal
00992240
Volume
62
Issue
3
Year of publication
1996
Pages
942 - 946
Database
ISI
SICI code
0099-2240(1996)62:3<942:PPOTSG>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
Comparative sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes was used to determine the phylogenetic relationship of the genus Cristispira to other spiroc hetes. Since Cristispira organisms cannot presently be grown in vitro, 16S rRNA genes were amplified directly from bacterial DNA isolated fr om Cristispira a cell-laden crystalline styles of the oyster Crassostr ea virginica. The amplified products were then cloned into Escherichia coli plasmids. Sequence comparisons of the gene coding for 16S rRNA ( rDNA) insert of one clone, designated CP1, indicated that it was spiro chetal. The sequence of the 16S rDNA insert of another clone was mycop lasmal. The CP1 sequence possessed most of the individual base signatu res that are unique to 16S rRNA (or rDNA) sequences of known spirochet es. CP1 branched deeply among other spirochetal genera within the fami ly Spirochaetaceae, and accordingly, it represents a separate genus wi thin this family. A fluorescently labeled DNA probe designed from the CP1 sequence was used for in situ hybridization experiments to verify that the sequence obtained was derived from the observed Cristispira c ells.