Geographical distribution of genotypic and phenotypic markers among Bacillus anthracis isolates and related species by historical movement and horizontal transfer

• Published in: Folia microbiologica 2008-01, Vol.53 (6), p.472-478
• Main Authors: Kiel, J. L., Parker, J. E., Holwitt, E. A., McCreary, R. P., Andrews, C. J., De Los Santos, A., Wade, M., Kalns, J., Walker, W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anthrax - microbiology; Anthrax - veterinary; Applied Microbiology; Bacillus anthracis; Bacillus anthracis - classification; Bacillus anthracis - genetics; Bacillus anthracis - isolation & purification; Bacillus anthracis - physiology; Bacteria; Base Sequence; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - microbiology; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Genes, Bacterial; Genetic Markers; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Geographical distribution; Immunology; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Minisatellite Repeats; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Phenotype; Plasmids - genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Recombination, Genetic; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Species Specificity; Spores, Bacterial
• ISSN: 0015-5632; 1874-9356
• DOI: 10.1007/s12223-008-0074-2

The geographical distribution of Bacillus anthracis strains and isolates bearing some of the same genetic markers as the Amerithrax Ames isolate was examined and evaluated. At least one mechanism for the horizontal movement of genetic markers was shown amongst isolates and closely related species and the effect of such mixing was demonstrated on phenotype. The results provided potential mechanisms by which attempts to attribute isolates of Bacillus anthracis to certain geographical and isolate sources may be disrupted.