Population genetic analysis of Propionibacterium acnes identifies a subpopulation and epidemic clones associated with acne.

ABSTRACT: The involvement of Propionibacterium acnes in the pathogenesis of acne is controversial, mainly owing to its dominance as an inhabitant of healthy skin. This study tested the hypothesis that specific evolutionary lineages of the species are associated with acne while others are compatible with health. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on nine housekeeping genes was performed on 210 isolates of P. acnes from well-characterized patients with acne, various opportunistic infections, and from healthy carriers. Although evidence of recombination was observed, the results showed a basically clonal population structure correlated with allelic variation in the virulence genes tly and camp5, with pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)- and biotype, and with expressed putative virulence factors. An

SUBMITTER: Lomholt HB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2924382 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature