Genotype and virulence of Streptococcus iniae isolated from diseased olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in Korea

摘要

In the study, we characterized 29 Streptococcus iniae isolates from diseased olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in Korea from 2000 to 2005. Biochemical characteristics of 29 isolates using API 20 strep were identical. Through analysis of repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) using BoxA primer and random amplified polymorphic DNA using p14 primer, 29 isolates of S. iniae were divided into two genotypes. The isolates were divided into two clusters by comparison of genetic distance using a sequence of the capsular polysaccharide D gene that was consistent with genotyping by the rep-PCR. The isolates belonging to genotype 1 in rep-PCR analysis showed a high virulence in the flounder, while the isolates belonging to genotype 2 were relatively low in virulence. Therefore, a correlation between the genotype and the virulence of S. iniae isolates has been identified.