Relationship of plasmids in Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum

Bacteria of the <i>Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum</i> group (MAIS) are opportunistic human pathogens and widespread in the environment. The first objective of this study was to demonstrate that plasmids from clinical isolates are closely related to plasmids from environmental MAIS isolates. A 12.9 kb plasmid, pVT2, from a clinical <i>M. avium isolate</i>, MDl, was cloned and used a a DNA probe to examine the relationship of MAIS plasmids. The pVT2 probe hybridized with plasmids isolated from MAIS strains from the environment, from patients without AIDS with pulmonary infections, and from AIDS patients with disseminated MAIS infections. Similar results were seen with a second probe derived from pLR 7, a 15.3 kb plasmid from clinical <i>M. intracellulare</i> strain LR 113. The similarity of plasmids from environmental and clinical isolates supports the hypothesis that the environment is a source of MAIS infection in humans.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Microbiology

Department dc:contributor.department

Microbiology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1991

Author dc:creator

• Jucker, Markus Thomas

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Falkinham, Joseph O. III

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bates, Robert C.
• Boyle, Stephen M.
• Johnson, John L.
• Lacy, George H.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-09202005-091034

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39450