Variations of plasmid content in Rickettsia felis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Since its first detection, characterization of R. felis has been a matter of debate, mostly due to the contamination of an initial R. felis culture by R. typhi. However, the first stable culture of R. felis allowed its precise phenotypic and genotypic characterization, and demonstrated that this species belonged to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. Later, its genome sequence revealed the presence of two forms of the same plasmid, physically confirmed by biological data. In a recent article, Gillespie et al. (PLoS One. 2007;2(3):e266.) used a bioinformatic approach to refute the presence of the second plasmid form, and proposed the creation of a specific phylogenetic group for R. felis.

Methodology/principal findings

In the present report, we, and five independe

SUBMITTER: Fournier PE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2384004 | biostudies-literature | 2008 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature