Isolated Staphylococcus Pseudolugdunensis

Abstract

Disclosed is an isolated strain of a previously unknown Staphylococcus, Staphylococcus pseudolugdunensis. Also disclosed are the sequences of the S. pseudolugdunensis tuf gene and 16s rRNA and methods for distinguishing S. pseudolugdunensis from other staphylococcal species.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising the compliment of at least 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  comprising the compliment of at least 300 contiguous residues of SEQ ID NO 1. 
     
     
         3 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  comprising the compliment of at least 400 contiguous residues of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  comprising the compliment of positions 660-858 of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         5 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising the compliment of a target sequence, said target sequence having greater than 91.4% homology to 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         6 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 5 , wherein said target sequence has at least 97% homology to 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         7 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 5 , wherein said target sequence has at least 99% homology to 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         8 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 5 , wherein said target sequence has greater than 91.4% homology to 300 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         9 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 5 , wherein said target sequence has greater than 91.4% homology to 400 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         10 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 5 , wherein said target sequence has greater than 91.4% homology to positions 600-858 of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         11 . A method for distinguishing Staphylococcus pseudolugclunensis from a clinical isolate of  Staphylococcus  that is positive for ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC), the method comprising:
 (a) amplifying at least 200 contiguous base pairs of the tuf acne of the clinical isolate;   (b) sequencing the amplified at least 200 contiguous base pairs of the tuf gene of the clinical isolate;   (c) comparing the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 with the nucleotide sequence of the at least 200 contiguous base pairs of the tuf gene of the clinical isolate; and   (d) distinguishing  Staphylococcus pseudolugdunensis  from the clinical isolate if the at least 200 contiguous base pairs of the tuf gene of the clinical isolate demonstrate an at least 97% sequence identity with at least 200 contiguous base pairs of SEQ ID NO: 1.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising performing an ODC assay on the clinical isolate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising performing a battery of biochemical assays on the clinical isolate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising performing a battery of biochemical assays on the clinical isolate comprising assays for ODC and pyrrolidonyl arylamidase (PYR). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising performing a battery of biochemical assays on the clinical isolate comprising assays for ODC and pyrrolidonyl arylamidase (PYR), and wherein the clinical isolate is ODC positive and PYR positive. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising performing a biochemical assay on the clinical isolate selected from the group consisting of: ODC, pyrrolidonyl arylamidase (PYR), arginine dihydrolase (ADH), catalase (CAT), coagulase (COA), urease (URE), nitrate reduction (NIT), alkaline phosphatase (PAL), and Voges-Proskauer (VP). 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein step (c) comprises comparing the nucleotide sequence of positions 660-858 of SEQ ID NO: 1 with the nucleotide sequence of the at least 200 contiguous base pairs of the tuf gene of the clinical isolate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the clinical isolate of  Staphylococcus  that is positive for ODC activity is biochemically indistinguishable from  Staphylococcus lugdunensis.    
     
     
         19 . An isolated polynucleotide having greater than 91.4% homology to 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         20 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 19  having at least 97% homology to 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         21 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 19  having at least 99% homology to 200 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         22 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 19  having greater than 91.4% homology to 300 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         23 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 19  having greater than 91.4% homology to 400 contiguous positions of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         24 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 19  having greater than 91.4% homology to positions 600-858 of SEQ ID NO: 1.