HOMOGENEITY OF THE MAJOR OUTER-MEMBRANE PROTEIN GENE OF FELINE CHLAMYDIA-PSITTACI

Thirteen feline Chlamydia psittaci strains isolated in various countri es over a 50-year period were examined by restriction mapping of the m ajor outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene obtained after DNA amplificati on by the polymerase chain reaction and compared with avian, ovine and guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis (GPIC) C psittaci strains. All th e feline isolates produced a unique AluI pattern distinct from the oth er C psittaci strains and were characterised by a typical fragment dou blet of 185/180 base pairs. Such a homogeneity argues for their geneti c relatedness and suggests their clonal origin. These data demonstrate the usefulness of MOMP-gene restriction mapping in C psittaci typing.