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Masters Thesis

Multilocus genetic structure in populations of Sporosarcina ureae and the assessment of hexose utilization

Fifty-nine isolates of Sporosarcina ureae collected from diverse geographical areas were characterized by the electrophoretic mobilities of 24 metabolic enzymes. Fifty-nine distinct multilocus genotypes (electrophoretic types [ETs]) were distinguished on the basis of allele profiles at the enzyme loci. For this reason it is proposed that the genetic structure of natural populations of S. ureae are non-clonal. Mean genetic diversity (H) over all enzyme loci examined was 0.509 and are similar in magnitude to those observed from analysis of bacteria of various genera. This study has revealed significant linkage disequilibrium in this population as measured by the Index of Association (IA). The value for IA was 1.1. It is proposed that the force driving this disequilibrium is random mutation at different loci producing new alleles which are maintained in the population. A second part of this study dealt with the selective utilization of carbohydrates. Examination of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism indicate that the hexose monophosphate pathway is likely to be the common pathway. The absence of fructosediphosphate aldolase in many isolates of S. ureae precludes use of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway as the universal pathway. It is suggested that the selective utilization of carbohydrates is due to absence of a specific permease.

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