Animals ; China ; Genotype ; Plague ; genetics ; microbiology ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics

China ; Genome, Bacterial ; Phenotype ; Plague ; microbiology ; Yersinia pestis ; classification ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of genomovars and microevolution of Yersinia pestis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

METHODSPrimer pairs targeting the twenty-two different regions(DFRs) were designed for detecting the presence or deletion of each DFR in 297 strains isolated from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

RESULTS9 genomovars, i. e. Genomovar 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, new type and Ype-ancestor were identified in the Marmota himalayana plague focus of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Among these genomovars, genomovar 5,8 and 10 were dominant types. The total rate of the three genomovars was 80.6% (204/253) and the genomovars in different regions were different. All of 44 strains of Y. pestis in the Microtus fuscus plague focus of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau belonged to genomovar 14.

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of genomovars of Y. pestis in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau had remarkable characteristics geographically. Based on the distribution of genomovars of Y. pestis, the routes of transmission and microevolution of Y. pestis were proposed.

Biological Evolution ; China ; Geography ; Humans ; Plague ; transmission ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate genomic variations of two Chinese Yersinia pestis isolates that were isolated from different plague foci obtained from vaccine strain EV76 from the Yunnan province of China.

METHODSA microarray containing 12 000 probes covering the entire genome of seven Yersinia pestis and two Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strains, was used. PCR assays were performed to confirm microarray results.

RESULTSThe gene variations detected included the absence of five genes related to the synthesis of betaine in both EV76 and another sequenced attenuated strain, KIM D27. Several genes related to phage-related membrane proteins were found to be absent in the Antiqua biovar Yunnan strain, 485, which was isolated from a rodent plague foci.

CONCLUSIONThese findings provide initial insight into the distinct strains isolated from natural foci, within their genomic context, including Yunnan Y. pestis strains. This information will be used therefore to establish subsequent comparisons of these sequences with published complete genomes of other strains.

China ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; methods ; Genome, Bacterial ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics

Animals ; Bacterial Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; Plague ; Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Yersinia pestis/genetics*

Bacterial Proteins ; analysis ; China ; Proteome ; analysis ; Proteomics ; Yersinia pestis ; chemistry ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the epidemiology of genotyping Yersinia pestis isolated in the fulminant epidemics of human plague in Qinghai province in 2004.

METHODSPrimer pairs targeting the twenty-three different identified regions (DFRs) were designed to detect the presence or deletion of each DFR in 13 strains of Yersinia pestis isolated from the fulminant epidemic of human plague in Qinghai province in 2004.

RESULTSThere were 4 genomovars, i.e. Genomovar 8, 10, 15 and 16 in the 13 strains of Yersinia pestis identified. The genomovar of all the strains of Yersinia pestis isolated from Nangqian county was Genomovar 10. Among the two strains of Yersinia pestis isolated from Wulan county, the genomovar of one strain was Genomovar 8 and the other was Genomovar 10. The genomovars of all the strains of Yersinia pestis isolated from Qilian, Qumalai and Chengduo county belonged to Genomovar 16.

CONCLUSIONIt was demonstrated that the genotyping of Yersinia pestis appeared to be a powerful tool for investigating human plague epidemics.

China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Genotype ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Plague ; epidemiology ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Animals ; Biofilms ; Caenorhabditis elegans ; metabolism ; Genes, Bacterial ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics ; metabolism

Animals ; Arvicolinae ; microbiology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Genes, Bacterial ; Mutation ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the relation between the absence of one IS100 in the 102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis and the stability of pigmentation phenotype (pgm(+)).

METHODSWe amplified the segment including IS100 in 102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis that isolated from all ecotypes in China by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There were 171 strains isolated from 18 ecotypes in this study. One strain was chosen to be cloned and sequenced.

RESULTSBesides the type of Microtus brandti, the types of East-North Tianshan, A and B of West-North Tianshan, Microtus Qinghai had one band with about 2560 bp. These strains lost one IS100 in 102 kb pgm locus of Yersinia pestis. Their pgm(+) phenotype was stable. Some strains of ecotypes from Qilian Mountain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Gangdisi Mountain, West Yunnan Mountain had no bands in the PCR products. Negative strains would lose the whole 102 kb pgm locus. The others had one band with 4492 bp. These strains had two IS100 which flanked the 102 kb pgm locus but the pgm(+) phenotype was unstable.

CONCLUSIONYersinia pestis which had only one IS100 would flank the 102 kb pgm locus and had stable pgm(+) phenotype while the Yersinia pestis that having two IS100 flanked the 102 kb pgm locus would have unstable pgm(+) phenotype.

Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Genomic Instability ; Phenotype ; Pigmentation ; genetics ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics