@article {2, title = {Genotyping Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium marinum by using mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units.}, journal = {J Bacteriol}, volume = {187}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Mar}, pages = {1639-47}, abstract = {

A novel category of variable tandem repeats (VNTR) called mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRUs) has been identified for Mycobacterium ulcerans (n = 39), M. marinum (n = 27), and one related organism. Fifteen MIRU loci were identified in the genome of M. marinum and were used to genotype M. ulcerans, M. marinum, and an M. marinum-like organism that is considered a possible missing link between M. marinum and M. ulcerans. Seven MIRU loci were polymorphic, and locus-specific PCRs for four of these loci differentiated seven M. ulcerans genotypes, four M. marinum genotypes, and a unique genotype for the missing link organism. The seven M. ulcerans genotypes were related to six different geographic origins of isolates. All isolates from West and Central Africa, including old and recent isolates, belonged to the same genotype, emphasizing the great spatiotemporal homogeneity among African isolates. Unlike the M. ulcerans genotypes, the four M. marinum genotypes could not be clearly related to the geographic origins of the isolates. According to MIRU-VNTR typing, all M. ulcerans and M. marinum isolates of American origin were closely related, suggesting a common American ancestor for these two pathogenic species on the American continents. MIRU typing has significant potential value for discriminating between reoccurrence and reinfection for M. ulcerans disease.

}, keywords = {Bacterial Typing Techniques, Base Sequence, Genotype, Interspersed Repetitive Sequences, Minisatellite Repeats, Molecular Sequence Data, Mycobacterium marinum, Mycobacterium ulcerans, Phylogeny, Polymorphism, Genetic, Sequence Alignment, Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, Species Specificity}, issn = {0021-9193}, doi = {10.1128/JB.187.5.1639-1647.2005}, author = {Stragier, Pieter and Ablordey, Anthony and Meyers, Wayne M and Portaels, Fran{\c c}oise} } @article {3, title = {Comparative nucleotide sequence analysis of polymorphic variable-number tandem-repeat Loci in Mycobacterium ulcerans.}, journal = {J Clin Microbiol}, volume = {43}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Oct}, pages = {5281-4}, abstract = {

We analyzed a set of variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) loci to assess their nucleotide sequence diversity in isolates of three Mycobacterium ulcerans genotypes. Sequence variants in two loci resulted in intraspecies resolution of Southeast Asian and Asian genotypes in contrast to a homogenous sequence composition among African isolates. Nucleotide sequence polymorphism in repeat units can enhance discrimination of VNTR loci.

}, keywords = {Bacterial Typing Techniques, Base Sequence, Genetic Variation, Genotype, Humans, Minisatellite Repeats, Molecular Sequence Data, Mycobacterium ulcerans, Polymorphism, Genetic, Sequence Alignment, Species Specificity}, issn = {0095-1137}, doi = {10.1128/JCM.43.10.5281-5284.2005}, author = {Ablordey, Anthony and Hilty, Markus and Stragier, Pieter and Swings, Jean and Portaels, Fran{\c c}oise} } @article {5, title = {Heterogeneity among Mycobacterium ulcerans isolates from Africa.}, journal = {Emerg Infect Dis}, volume = {12}, year = {2006}, month = {2006 May}, pages = {844-7}, abstract = {

Mycobacterium ulcerans causes Buruli ulcer, an ulcerative skin disease in tropical and subtropical areas. Despite restricted genetic diversity, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem repeat analysis on M. ulcerans revealed 3 genotypes from different African countries. It is the first time this typing method succeeded directly on patient samples.

}, keywords = {Africa, Bacterial Typing Techniques, Base Sequence, Genetic Variation, Genotype, Humans, Molecular Epidemiology, Molecular Sequence Data, Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous, Mycobacterium ulcerans, Phylogeny, Polymorphism, Genetic, Tandem Repeat Sequences}, issn = {1080-6040}, doi = {10.3201/eid1205.051191}, author = {Stragier, Pieter and Ablordey, Anthony and Bayonne, L Manou and Lugor, Yatta L and Sindani, Ireneaus S and Suykerbuyk, Patrick and Wabinga, Henry and Meyers, Wayne M and Portaels, Fran{\c c}oise} }