Restriction fragment length polymorphisms detected with novel DNA probes differentiate among diverse lineages of serogroup 4 Listeria monocytogenes and identify four distinct lineages in serotype 4b.

ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes of serotype 4b has been implicated in numerous outbreaks of food-borne listeriosis and in ca. 40% of sporadic cases. Strains of this serotype appear to be relatively homogeneous genetically, and molecular markers specific for distinct serotype 4b lineages have not been frequently identified. Here we show that DNA fragments derived from the putative mannitol permease locus of Listeria monocytogenes had an unexpectedly high potential to differentiate among different strains of serotype 4b when used as probes in Southern blotting of EcoRI-digested genomic DNA, yielding four distinct restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns. Strains of two epidemic-associated lineages, including the major epidemic clone implicated in several outbreaks in Europe and North

SUBMITTER: Tran HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC126560 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature