Detecting genetic variability among different Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains using DNA microarrays technology

SummaryRecent advances in functional and comparative genomics have improved our understanding of genetic diversity among the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. In this study, we investigated the genetic polymorphism of M. tuberculosis using whole-genome microarray analysis. Amplified fragments of 15 M. tuberculosis strains (from two different geographical origins) and the reference strain H37Rv were produced by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using three different primers. The RAPD products were labeled with fluorescent dyes (Cy3 and Cy5) and hybridized to a TB DNA microarray representing nearly all open reading frames (ORFs) of H37Rv. The final results were analyzed using bioinformatic tools. Some genetic variability was found among the 16 M. tuberculosis strains. The majority of the highly polymorphic DNA sequences were observed in ORFs representing non-essential genes of the bacterium. The future use of comparative genomics based on DNA microarray technology should prove a powerful tool for understanding phenotypic variability among M. tuberculosis isolates of similar genetic composition. It is also a promising approach to provide important insights into evolution, virulence and pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis.