AUTHOR=Li Ruichao , Chiou Jiachi , Chan Edward Wai-Chi , Chen Sheng 

TITLE=A Novel PCR-Based Approach for Accurate Identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00044

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2016.00044

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>A PCR-based assay was developed for more accurate identification of <italic>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</italic> through targeting the <italic>bla</italic><sub>CARB-17</sub> like element, an intrinsic β-lactamase gene that may also be regarded as a novel species-specific genetic marker of this organism. Homologous analysis showed that <italic>bla</italic><sub>CARB-17</sub> like genes were more conservative than the <italic>tlh, toxR</italic> and <italic>atpA</italic> genes, the genetic markers commonly used as detection targets in identification of <italic>V. parahaemolyticus</italic>. Our data showed that this <italic>bla</italic><sub>CARB-17</sub>-specific PCR-based detection approach consistently achieved 100% specificity, whereas PCR targeting the <italic>tlh</italic> and <italic>atpA</italic> genes occasionally produced false positive results. Furthermore, a positive result of this test is consistently associated with an intrinsic ampicillin resistance phenotype of the test organism, presumably conferred by the products of <italic>bla</italic><sub>CARB-17</sub> like genes. We envision that combined analysis of the unique genetic and phenotypic characteristics conferred by <italic>bla</italic><sub>CARB-17</sub> shall further enhance the detection specificity of this novel yet easy-to-use detection approach to a level superior to the conventional methods used in <italic>V. parahaemolyticus</italic> detection and identification.</p>