Six species of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria carry non-identical 16S rRNA gene copies

Abstract

Non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) can carry two or more 16S rRNA gene copies that are, in some instances, non-identical. In this study, we used a combined cloning and sequencing approach to analyze the 16S rRNA gene sequences of six NTM species, Mycobacterium cosmeticum, M. pallens, M. hodleri, M. crocinum, M. flavescens, and M. xenopi. The approach facilitated the identification of two distinct gene copies in each species. The two M. cosmeticum genes had a single nucleotide difference, whereas two nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in M. hodleri, M. flavescens, and M. xenopi. M. pallens had a difference in four nucleotides and M. crocinum in 23. Hence, we showed that the six NTM species possess at least two non-identical 16S rRNA gene copies.\n\nImportanceThe presence of multiple 16S rRNA gene copies with nucleotide polymorphisms represents a challenge for species identification using 16S rRNA as the target sequence. Our analysis was focused on six NTM species, M. cosmeticum, M. pallens, M. hodleri, M. crocinum, M. flavescens, and M. xenopi. As a result, we generated the full-length sequences of two non-identical 16S rRNA copies for each NTM species. The data will be helpful for the sequence analysis of specimens or other samples.