Variation of the polymorphic region X of the protein A gene during persistent airway infection of cystic fibrosis patients reflects two independent mechanisms of genetic change in Staphylococcus aureus

Barbara C Kahl; Alexander Mellmann; Susanne Deiwick; Georg Peters; Dag Harmsen

doi:10.1128/JCM.43.1.502-505.2005

Variation of the polymorphic region X of the protein A gene during persistent airway infection of cystic fibrosis patients reflects two independent mechanisms of genetic change in Staphylococcus aureus

J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Jan;43(1):502-5. doi: 10.1128/JCM.43.1.502-505.2005.

Authors

Barbara C Kahl¹, Alexander Mellmann, Susanne Deiwick, Georg Peters, Dag Harmsen

Affiliation

¹ Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Muenster, Domagkstr. 10, 48149 Muenster, Germany. [email protected]

Abstract

Variation of the polymorphic region of the protein A gene (spa) was observed during long-term persistence of Staphylococcus aureus in the airways of 10 cystic fibrosis patients and occurred at a rate of one genetic change every 70 months. Independent mutational events were observed eight times in 142 isolates: four deletions, two duplications of repeats, and two point mutations.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chronic Disease
Cystic Fibrosis / microbiology*
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
Genetic Variation*
Humans
Mutation*
Polymorphism, Genetic*
Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
Staphylococcal Protein A / chemistry
Staphylococcal Protein A / genetics*
Staphylococcus aureus / classification
Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*

Substances

Staphylococcal Protein A