The gene encoding the outer membrane lipoprotein lipL32 as a genetic target for developing leptospira genotyping schemes

: The primers flanking the fragments sized 677 bp (external) and 204 (internal) were constructed on the basis of nucleotide sequences of the gene encoding the outer membrane lipoprotein LipL32. PCR-analysis was used to study the prevalence of the gene lipL32 among 79 Leptospiraceae family strains representing different genera and genomic species (77--genus Leptospira, 1--genus Leptonema, 1--genus Turneria). The two amplicons were detected in the pathogenic leptospires--L. interrogans (except L. inadai), but not in saprophytic--L. biflexa. In L. inadai only 204 bp-amplicon was detected. These test-systems can be successfully used to differentiate between two distinct ecological groups of leptospires. The gene encoding the lipL32 seems to be appropriate as an adequate genetic target for developing the leptospira genotyping systems (high prevalence, presence of both conservative and variable sites in its nucleotide schemes).