Online Bacterial Species Assignment Using MLSA
Author Information
Author(s): Cynthia J Bishop, David M Aanensen, Gregory E Jordan, Mogens Kilian, William P Hanage, Brian G Spratt
Primary Institution: Imperial College London
Hypothesis
Can multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) effectively assign bacterial strains to species via the internet?
Conclusion
The MLSA approach successfully identified species clusters within the viridans group streptococci and allows for online species assignment of unknown strains.
Supporting Evidence
- The MLSA method produced a well-resolved reference tree for the viridans group.
- The website allows for the submission of new strains to expand the database.
- The study identified potential new species clusters based on genetic data.
Takeaway
Scientists created a website that helps identify different types of bacteria by looking at their genes, making it easier to classify them.
Methodology
The study used multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) to analyze seven housekeeping gene sequences from 420 streptococcal strains.
Limitations
The study's findings may not apply to all bacterial groups due to varying levels of genetic diversity and recombination.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website