Comparison of tul4, fopA, 16S rRNA and RD1 gene regions of Francisella tularensis strains isolated from Sivas, Turkey

Abstract

Tularemia is a zoonotic disease that can infect animals and people. It is known that tularemia outbreaks in Turkey is water-borne and causative agent F. tularensis subsp. holarctica. Eight F. tularensis were isolated from the water samples in tularemia outbreaks observed in Sivas during 2011-2013. In this study; tul4, fopA, RD1 and 16S rRNA gene regions of eight F. tularensis isolates were amplified by PCR method and investigated by sequencing method. Sequence analysis of the gene regions were compared with each other and the samples found in GenBank. All samples were found to be similar in terms of the partial sequence of the tul4 and fopA gene region. In terms of 16S rRNA gene region, Belkent2012 and Belkent2013 isolates and Çiçekoğlu and Döllük isolates were detected similar among themselves. Bahçeiçi and Karaören isolates were found similar at RD1 gene regions. In the sequence comparison of GenBank in terms of examined gene regions, 94-100% similarity was determined with F. tularensis subsp. holarctica LVS and F. tularensis subsp. holarctica PHIT-FT049. As a result of our study; the tul4 and fopA gene regions of eight F. tularensis subsp. holarctica isolates were found to have identical and different base sequence origins in 16S rRNA and RD1 gene regions in tularemia outbreaks in Sivas. In order to reveal the phylogeography of F. tularensis’ in Turkey, it is necessary to produce new isolates from epidemic regions and to investigate them with advanced molecular techniques.