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Association of Stremptomyces community composition determined by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis with indoor mold status.
Citation:
Johansson, E., T. Reponen, J. Meller, S. Vesper, AND J. Yadav. Association of Stremptomyces community composition determined by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis with indoor mold status. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT. Springer, New York, NY, 186(12):8773-8783, (2014).
Impact/Purpose:
To further refine the relationship between ERMI and indoor bacterial exposures, as was suggested by the external Peer-Review of ERMI.
Description:
Abstract Both Streptomyces species and mold species have previously been isolated from moisture-damaged building materials; however, an association between these two groups of microorganisms in indoor environments is not clear. In this study, we used a cultureindependent method, PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), to investigate the composition of the Streptomyces community in house dust. Twenty-three dust samples each from two sets of homes categorized as high-mold and low-mold based on moldspecific quantitative PCR analysis were used in the study. Taxonomic identification of prominent bands was performed by cloning and sequencing. Associations between DGGE amplicon band intensities and home mold status were assessed using univariate analyses as well as multivariate recursive partitioning (decision trees) to test the predictive value of combinations of bands intensities. In the final classification tree, a combination of two bands was significantly associated with mold status of the home (p=0.001). The sequence corresponding to one of the bands in the final decision tree matched a group of Streptomyces species that included Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces sampsonii, both of which have been isolated from moisture-damaged buildings previously. The closest match for the majority of sequences corresponding to a second band consisted of a group of Streptomyces species that included Streptomyces hygroscopicus, an important producer of antibiotics and immunosuppressors. Taken together, the study showed that DGGE can be a useful tool for identifying bacterial species that may be more prevalent in mold-damaged buildings.
