Pheno- and genotypic characteristics of Yersinia pestis strains from phylogroups 2.MED4 and 2.MED1 – etiological agents of 20th-century plague outbreaks in the Caspian Sea region

Abstract

We performed a comparative analysis of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of strains of the plague pathogen of phylogroups 2.MED4 and 2.MED1 of the medieval biovar of the main subspecies from epidemically active plague foci in the Caspian Sea region in the XX century. According to the results of the analysis, biochemical properties, nutritional requirements and plasmid profile of strains of phylogroups 2.MED4 and 2.MED1 of the medieval biovar of Y. pestis were determined. Genetic variability in the hemS, caf1M, and ssaJ genes associated with the virulence in strains of the 2.MED lineage was revealed. The data obtained on the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the medieval biovar of the plague microbe can be used in laboratory diagnostics of the plague microbe and will contribute to the study of genome changing in the process of microevolution of this highly virulent biovar.