High-Throughput Whole-Genome PCR with MADGE and SP-PCR for the Analysis of Genomic Diversity in the Enteric Bacteria (University of Birmingham, UK)

The enteric bacteria (family Enterobacteriaceae) are a remarkably versatile range of species that includes important pathogens of humans, animals and plants, two of which (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica) commonly contaminate the human food chain. There are pressing scientific and practical needs to develop methods that allow rapid, efficient and user- friendly assessment and analysis of genomic diversity within the enteric bacteria. <P>

Building on recent technical advances within our own laboratories, we aim to develop a novel high-throughput approach (whole- genome- PCR with microplate array diagonal gel electrophoresis) for assessing genomic diversity and for detecting large-scale chromosomal insertions or deletions that will be robust, simple and cheap enough for use in routine molecular epidemiology, but that will also link epidemiological findings to the genomic determinants of pathogenicity and provide a discovery platform for identifying new pathogenicity islands and prophages linked to virulence. (Joint with grant 51/D13422)