Otitis media associated polymorphisms in the hemin receptor HemR of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.

ABSTRACT: Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) colonize the human pharynx asymptomatically, and are also an important cause of otitis media (OM). Previous studies have demonstrated that some genes are more prevalent in OM-causing NTHi strains than in commensal strains, suggesting a role in virulence. These studies, however, are unable to investigate the possible associations between gene polymorphisms and disease. This study examined amino acid polymorphisms and sequence diversity in a potential virulence gene, the hemin receptor hemR, from a previously characterized NTHi strain collection containing both commensal and OM organisms to identify possible associations between the polymorphisms and otitis media. The full open reading frame of hemR was sequenced from a total of 146 NTHi isolates, yi

SUBMITTER: LaCross NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4499511 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature