Staphylococcal accessory gene regulator (sar) as a signature gene to detect enterotoxigenic staphylococci.

Padmapriya, B. P. and Ramesh, A. and Chandrashekar, A. and Varadaraj, M. C. (2003) Staphylococcal accessory gene regulator (sar) as a signature gene to detect enterotoxigenic staphylococci. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 95 (5). pp. 974-81. ISSN 1364-5072

PDF Journal_of_Applied_Microbiology_2003,_95,_974-981.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (136kB)

Abstract

AIMS: To evaluate the use of a staphylococcal accessory gene regulator (sar) as a means of detecting enterotoxigenic staphylococci. METHODS AND RESULTS: SarA gene-specific primers were designed and applied in PCR, which resulted in the detection of 49 sar-positive isolates from a total of 67 natural food isolates of staphylococci. Colony hybridization using PCR-generated Digoxigenin (DIG)-labelled sarA probe tested in spiked samples of khoa (a traditional heat-concentrated milk product) comprising a mixed microflora ensured the specificity of the probe. Validation experiments with the commercial samples of khoa also demonstrated the specificity of the probe. PCR characterization for enterotoxins A-D revealed the presence of at least one of the toxin-encoding genes in all the sarA-positive isolates tested. CONCLUSION: The study indicated that sarA gene could be an ideal marker gene either in colony hybridization or in PCR, for an effective detection of potentially enterotoxigenic strains of staphylococci in a food system. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: As an alternative to targeting the individual toxin genes, a regulatory gene responsible for controlling the synthesis of various virulence factors may be a suitable target gene for screening potentially toxigenic staphylococci in food system using nucleic acid-based methods.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	enterotoxins, gene probe, PCR, sarA gene, staphylococci.
Subjects:	600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 09 Food Microbiology
Divisions:	Food Microbiology
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	30 Jul 2008 10:34
Last Modified:	01 Jul 2015 10:53
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/2049

Actions (login required)

View Item