TVMDL and the DNA Technologies Core Laboratory of the College of
Veterinary Medicine Now Offering Sequence-based Bacterial Identification
Accurate and rapid microorganism identification is critical to disease diagnosis and treatment, but many microorganism species cannot be identified through traditional (phenotypic) identification methods. Over the past 20 years, sequence analysis has become the gold-standard as a reliable, accurate, and inexpensive method of microorganism identification.
The Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory is working together with the DNA Technologies Core Laboratory at Texas A&M University to provide sequence-based bacterial identification services using the MicroSeqTM system. MicroSeqTM is the only commercially available, validated system for bacterial sequence identification, and is routinely used for quality assurance in pharmaceutical fields and species identification in human clinical laboratories.
Based on a highly conserved DNA gene sequence found in all bacteria, this service provides a rapid and accurate method of microorganism identification for veterinary diagnostics. Funding to implement this valuable service was generously provided by Texas A&M AgriLife, the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and TVMDL.
The sequence-based bacterial identification has a valuable place in the laboratory for the identification of difficult to identify, atypically reacting, or fastidious bacteria and obviates the need in some instances for sending isolates to reference laboratories for identification. In clinical veterinary medicine, assist in the identification of important pathogens that can be misidentified by conventional culture techniques. This may be the case in many bacterial identified in cattle with pneumonia or mastitis.
Apart from their central role in the detection and initial identification of as-yet-uncultured organisms in clinical specimens, gene sequences have successfully been used for the identification of slow-growing bacterial species. Furthermore, sequencing is useful for the identification of the microorganisms that stain poorly or are poorly reactive biochemically and show inconsistent biochemical characteristics. In clinical practice, this system can be used for the identification of newly emerging pathogens. In this situation, an identification system based on sequencing of the isolate may prove to be invaluable.
In the coming months, the DNA Technologies Core Laboratory will expand this sequencing service to include fungal species. Plans are also underway to implement a new system for bacterial strain tracking based on a rapid DNA typing method.
This technology has proven to provide:
- Highly accurate results
- Rapid, 24-hour turnaround
- Lowest-priced bacterial sequencing offered in the U.S. with two levels of analysis available
- $50/sample for routine sequencing, which is generally sufficient for species ID (500-base pair 16S rDNA analysis)
- $100/sample for full-gene sequencing is recommended only when additional resolution is needed for an ID (1500-base pair 16S rDNA analysis)
For more details, go to http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/dnacore
For more information, contact:
Dr. Tammy Beckham, DVM, Ph.D.
Director
Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Tel. 979-845-3414
tbeckham@tvmdl.tamu.edu
Dr. Amy K. Swinford, DVM, MS, ACVM
Head, Diagnostic Bacteriology
Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Tel. (979) 845-3414
aswinford@tvmdl.tamu.edu
Dr. Alfonso Clavijo, DVM, Ph.D.
Assistant Agency Director for Diagnostic Programs
Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Tel. 979-845-3414
aclavijo@tvmdl.tamu.edu
Dr. Natalie Halbert, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology
Texas A&M University
Tel. 979-862-4774
nhalbert@cvm.tamu.edu