Analysis of the Mycobacterium ulcerans genome sequence reveals new loci for variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) typing.

Screening of the genome sequence of the Mycobacterium ulcerans strain Agy99 from Ghana with tandem repeats finder software revealed 34 novel non-degenerate tandem repeats containing loci suitable for variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) typing. All loci revealed polymorphism within M. ulcerans isolates of geographically diverse origins. The results confirm the evolutionary scenario suggested by multi-locus sequence typing in which a progenitor of all M. ulcerans lineages emerged from the environmental species Mycobacterium marinum and subsequently diverged into several geographical lineages. For further attempts to develop a VNTR-based genetic fingerprinting tool for M. ulcerans, it is suggested that the focus should rather be on M. marinum than on the African M. ulcerans Agy99 genome sequence as a starting point.