Journal of Dental Research, Vol 69, 1488-1493, Copyright © 1990 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals

ARTICLES

Genetic heterogeneity of Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) gingivalis by genomic DNA fingerprinting

B. G. Loos, D. Mayrand, R. J. Genco and D. P. Dickinson
Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York, Buffalo 14214.

This study describes the use of total genomic DNA fingerprinting with the use of restriction endonucleases to characterize clinical isolates of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Bacteroides gingivalis) obtained from patients with periodontitis or with root-canal infections. The majority of independent isolates had a unique DNA fingerprint, indicating extensive genetic heterogeneity within this species. Twenty-nine distinct DNA fingerprints were found among the 33 isolates investigated. This is in contrast to biotyping and serotyping, where only one type and three types, respectively, have been reported. The observed heterogeneity indicates that DNA fingerprinting is a sensitive measure of genetic dissimilarity between P. gingivalis isolates and is able to characterize individual isolates. These results have ecological implications, indicating that there is considerable natural diversity in the global population of P. gingivalis, and that there are likely to be relatively large numbers of genetically distinct clonal lines. Furthermore, DNA fingerprinting is a sensitive and powerful tool for longitudinal and cross-sectional epidemiological studies. This technique provides far greater discrimination between isolates than either biotyping or serotyping, and will be most helpful in, for example, the analysis of distribution of clonal lines within one periodontal patient, or the analysis of the transmission to and turnover of strain populations within a patient population, since the probability of two strains with the same DNA fingerprint being found by chance is small.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Koehler, H. Karch, T. Beikler, Thomas. F. Flemmig, S. Suerbaum, and H. Schmidt Multilocus sequence analysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis indicates frequent recombination Microbiology, September 1, 2003; 149(9): 2407 - 2415. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. V. Califano, T. Kitten, J. P. Lewis, F. L. Macrina, R. D. Fleischmann, C. M. Fraser, M. J. Duncan, and F. E. Dewhirst Characterization of Porphyromonas gingivalis Insertion Sequence-Like Element ISPg5 Infect. Immun., September 1, 2000; 68(9): 5247 - 5253. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. W. Rumpf, A. L. Griffen, and E. J. Leys Phylogeny of Porphyromonas gingivalis by Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Region Analysis J. Clin. Microbiol., May 1, 2000; 38(5): 1807 - 1810. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. J. Leys, J. H. Smith, S. R. Lyons, and A. L. Griffen Identification of Porphyromonas gingivalis Strains by Heteroduplex Analysis and Detection of Multiple Strains J. Clin. Microbiol., December 1, 1999; 37(12): 3906 - 3911. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. W. Rumpf, A. L. Griffen, B.-G. Wen, and E. J. Leys Sequencing of the Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Region for Strain Identification of Porphyromonas gingivalis J. Clin. Microbiol., August 1, 1999; 37(8): 2723 - 2725. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. P. Lewis and F. L. Macrina Localization of HArep-Containing Genes on the Chromosome of Porphyromonas gingivalis W83 Infect. Immun., May 1, 1999; 67(5): 2619 - 2623. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Hanley, J. Aduse-Opoku, and M. A. Curtis A 55-Kilodalton Immunodominant Antigen of Porphyromonas gingivalis W50 Has Arisen via Horizontal Gene Transfer Infect. Immun., March 1, 1999; 67(3): 1157 - 1171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Lamont and H. F. Jenkinson Life Below the Gum Line: Pathogenic Mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., December 1, 1998; 62(4): 1244 - 1263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]