Dean D, Schachter J, Dawson C R, Stephens R S
Department of Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco.
J Infect Dis. 1992 Aug;166(2):383-92. doi: 10.1093/infdis/166.2.383.
The molecular evaluation of the chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene (omp1) can facilitate epidemiologic investigations of this pathogen. Genotyping of omp1 provides a more precise characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis than do current immunotyping techniques. Genetic omp1 variants of serovars that are responsible for ocular disease in Tunisia were identified. Archival conjunctival samples collected during 1972 and 1975 from trachoma patients in Douz were sequenced by automation along with additional B and Ba trachoma and genital isolates. Over 90% of the nucleotide changes resulted in an amino acid substitution. Different amino acid sequence changes in variable segments 1, 2, and 4 were found in the specimens collected in 1975 from those collected in 1972. Determination of omp1 genotypes responsible for trachoma will be useful for prospective, epidemiologic studies to identify chlamydial reservoirs within the host, evaluate transmission patterns, and determine the antigenic variation of MOMP for rational vaccine development.
对衣原体主要外膜蛋白（MOMP）基因（omp1）进行分子评估有助于对该病原体进行流行病学调查。与当前的免疫分型技术相比，omp1基因分型能更精确地表征沙眼衣原体。已鉴定出突尼斯导致眼部疾病的血清型的omp1基因变体。1972年和1975年从杜兹沙眼患者身上采集的存档结膜样本通过自动化测序，同时还对其他B和Ba型沙眼及生殖道分离株进行了测序。超过90%的核苷酸变化导致氨基酸替换。在1975年采集的标本中发现可变区1、2和4的氨基酸序列变化与1972年采集的标本不同。确定导致沙眼的omp1基因型将有助于进行前瞻性流行病学研究，以识别宿主内的衣原体储存库、评估传播模式，并确定MOMP的抗原变异，从而进行合理的疫苗开发。
