| Molecular Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Barry N. Kreiswirth Ph.D.
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine (ADMINISTRATION) |
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| Research Summary |
| The Public Health Research Institute TB Center is a multi-faceted laboratory that focuses on the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sensitive and multi-drug-resistant clinical isolates are collected from hospitals throughout New York City and genotyped using the transposable element IS6110 as a gene probe. DNA fingerprints are stored and compared using a scanning densitometer with a matching software program that can detect and retrieve identical or like patterns. Multi-drug-resistant strains, first grouped on the basis of IS6110, have been further characterized by sequence analysis of regions of known resistance genes. An example is the characterization of more than 30 mutations in the rpoB gene, which correlate with rifampin resistance. The genetic characterization of the clinical strains provides an ideal test panel to analyze potential anti-tubercular compounds. Compounds received from pharmaceutical houses, biotechnology companies, and basic researchers are analyzed for anti-tubercular activity in both agar- and broth-based systems and in a human macrophage assay. In addition to the applied research, studies on M. tuberculosis pathogenesis are currently underway with the first aim of identifying virulence factors.
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| Related Images |
Image 1 | DNA fingerprints of cultures from 13 patients, 10 of which are identical and represent a "W" outbreak. | | |
| Research Information |
Research Interests | Molecular Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Research Keywords | DNA fingerprinting, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), molecular epidemiology, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, nosocomial infections |
