The use of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in epidemiological studies ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae

Abstract

SUMMARYPolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell proteins was investigated as a possible typing method for Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A method was developed using stock strains which were representatives of the five gravis serotypes described by Robinson & Peeney (1936). This technique was then applied to recent isolates sent to our laboratory for identification.

Potential pathogenic role of aggregative- adhering Corynebacterium diphtheriae of different clonal groups in endocarditis

“…Phenotypic and molecular typing methods have been used with varying success to distinguish between C. diphtheriae strains (26,27). Despite the fact that SDS-PAGE profiles are not considered to provide consistent results for the evaluation of clonality among bacterial strains, heterogeneity among protein profiles of C. diphtheriae has been used for the analysis of epidemic strains (28,29). In the present study, SDS-PAGE demonstrated C. diphtheriae endocarditis isolates characterized by a particular protein profile, as exemplified by the HC01 strain in Figure 2.…”

Diphtheria in the 1990s: Return of an old adversary

“…At least one case of laboratory‐acquired diphtheria has been reported [12]. It is therefore recommended that laboratory workers who will or may handle toxigenic isolates should be proven to be immune by serological testing and receive booster immunization if necessary.…”

The application of two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to medical microbiology: Molecular epidemiology of viruses and bacteria

“…Characteristic protein profiles can be obtained for different bacterial genera providing the basis for bacterial identification [33]. In addition, SDS-PAGE has been applied in epidemiological and taxonomic studies of a wide range of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa [21], Cotynebacterium diphtheria [34,35], Aeromonas spp. [36], Campylobacterspp.…”