Viability of Yersinia pestis subcultures in agar stabs

N. C. Leal; M. Sobreira; A. F.Q. Araújo; J. L.O. Magalhães; A. J. Vogler; M. C. Bollig; R. Nottingham; P. Keim; D. M. Wagner; A. M.P. Almeida

doi:10.1111/lam.12519

Viability of Yersinia pestis subcultures in agar stabs

N. C. Leal, M. Sobreira, A. F.Q. Araújo, J. L.O. Magalhães, A. J. Vogler, M. C. Bollig, R. Nottingham, P. Keim, D. M. Wagner, A. M.P. Almeida

Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Since its identification as the causative agent of plague in 1894, thousands of Yersinia pestis strains have been isolated and stored. Here, we report the ability of Y. pestis to survive up to 47 years in agar stabs, in rubber-stoppered tubes, under refrigeration (+4 to +10°C), although overall subculture recovery rates were poor and inversely related to the length of time stored. Genetic characterization of virulence gene presence among these subcultures was suggestive of significant variation in the genomic stability of Y. pestis subcultures stored under these conditions. Specifically, we found variation in the presence of plasmid and chromosomal virulence markers (genes pla, lcrV, caf1 and irp2) among multiple subcultures of Y. pestis strains in the 'Collection of Yersinia pestis' (Fiocruz-CYP) maintained by the SRP of FIOCRUZ-PE in Brazil. This variation, together with all of the inherent temporal, geographic and other genetic variation represented by all of the recoverable strains in this historical collection was preserved in new frozen culture stocks stored at -70°C as a result of this study. These frozen culture stocks represent a valuable resource for future comparative studies of Y. pestis.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	91-95
Number of pages	5
Journal	Letters in Applied Microbiology
Volume	62
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/lam.12519
State	Published - Jan 1 2016

Keywords

Collection
Genomic stability
Plague
Viability
Yersinia pestis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Access to Document

10.1111/lam.12519

Cite this

@article{01b057f3a0324b97b62d94a25b09ce6e,

title = "Viability of Yersinia pestis subcultures in agar stabs",

abstract = "Since its identification as the causative agent of plague in 1894, thousands of Yersinia pestis strains have been isolated and stored. Here, we report the ability of Y. pestis to survive up to 47 years in agar stabs, in rubber-stoppered tubes, under refrigeration (+4 to +10°C), although overall subculture recovery rates were poor and inversely related to the length of time stored. Genetic characterization of virulence gene presence among these subcultures was suggestive of significant variation in the genomic stability of Y. pestis subcultures stored under these conditions. Specifically, we found variation in the presence of plasmid and chromosomal virulence markers (genes pla, lcrV, caf1 and irp2) among multiple subcultures of Y. pestis strains in the 'Collection of Yersinia pestis' (Fiocruz-CYP) maintained by the SRP of FIOCRUZ-PE in Brazil. This variation, together with all of the inherent temporal, geographic and other genetic variation represented by all of the recoverable strains in this historical collection was preserved in new frozen culture stocks stored at -70°C as a result of this study. These frozen culture stocks represent a valuable resource for future comparative studies of Y. pestis.",

keywords = "Collection, Genomic stability, Plague, Viability, Yersinia pestis",

author = "Leal, {N. C.} and M. Sobreira and Ara{\'u}jo, {A. F.Q.} and Magalh{\~a}es, {J. L.O.} and Vogler, {A. J.} and Bollig, {M. C.} and R. Nottingham and P. Keim and Wagner, {D. M.} and Almeida, {A. M.P.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.",

year = "2016",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/lam.12519",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "62",

pages = "91--95",

journal = "Letters in Applied Microbiology",

issn = "0266-8254",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Viability of Yersinia pestis subcultures in agar stabs

AU - Leal, N. C.

AU - Sobreira, M.

AU - Araújo, A. F.Q.

AU - Magalhães, J. L.O.

AU - Vogler, A. J.

AU - Bollig, M. C.

AU - Nottingham, R.

AU - Keim, P.

AU - Wagner, D. M.

AU - Almeida, A. M.P.

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - Since its identification as the causative agent of plague in 1894, thousands of Yersinia pestis strains have been isolated and stored. Here, we report the ability of Y. pestis to survive up to 47 years in agar stabs, in rubber-stoppered tubes, under refrigeration (+4 to +10°C), although overall subculture recovery rates were poor and inversely related to the length of time stored. Genetic characterization of virulence gene presence among these subcultures was suggestive of significant variation in the genomic stability of Y. pestis subcultures stored under these conditions. Specifically, we found variation in the presence of plasmid and chromosomal virulence markers (genes pla, lcrV, caf1 and irp2) among multiple subcultures of Y. pestis strains in the 'Collection of Yersinia pestis' (Fiocruz-CYP) maintained by the SRP of FIOCRUZ-PE in Brazil. This variation, together with all of the inherent temporal, geographic and other genetic variation represented by all of the recoverable strains in this historical collection was preserved in new frozen culture stocks stored at -70°C as a result of this study. These frozen culture stocks represent a valuable resource for future comparative studies of Y. pestis.

AB - Since its identification as the causative agent of plague in 1894, thousands of Yersinia pestis strains have been isolated and stored. Here, we report the ability of Y. pestis to survive up to 47 years in agar stabs, in rubber-stoppered tubes, under refrigeration (+4 to +10°C), although overall subculture recovery rates were poor and inversely related to the length of time stored. Genetic characterization of virulence gene presence among these subcultures was suggestive of significant variation in the genomic stability of Y. pestis subcultures stored under these conditions. Specifically, we found variation in the presence of plasmid and chromosomal virulence markers (genes pla, lcrV, caf1 and irp2) among multiple subcultures of Y. pestis strains in the 'Collection of Yersinia pestis' (Fiocruz-CYP) maintained by the SRP of FIOCRUZ-PE in Brazil. This variation, together with all of the inherent temporal, geographic and other genetic variation represented by all of the recoverable strains in this historical collection was preserved in new frozen culture stocks stored at -70°C as a result of this study. These frozen culture stocks represent a valuable resource for future comparative studies of Y. pestis.

KW - Collection

KW - Genomic stability

KW - Plague

KW - Viability

KW - Yersinia pestis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84958817725&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84958817725&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/lam.12519

DO - 10.1111/lam.12519

M3 - Article

C2 - 26524218

AN - SCOPUS:84958817725

SN - 0266-8254

VL - 62

SP - 91

EP - 95

JO - Letters in Applied Microbiology

JF - Letters in Applied Microbiology

IS - 1

ER -

Viability of Yersinia pestis subcultures in agar stabs

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this