Molecular characterization of field strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in Malaysia through pMGA and pVPA genes sequencing

Abstract To characterize field strains of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) in Malaysia, selected gene target-specific sequences to MG, hemagglutinin protein A (pMGA) and phase variable putative adhesion protein A (pvpA) genes, were amplified from positive MG samples using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 25 MG-positive samples out of 94 field samples were sequenced with primer targeting pMGA and pvpA genes. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were conducted using bioinformatics softwares (Bioedit and MEGA 5) and genetic variation patterns were evaluated based on partial nucleotide sequencing of pMGA and pvpA genes. In case of pMGA, all 25 field strains showed similar gene size patterns with strains of pathogenic reference (MGS6) and vaccine (MG F), which were different from the PCR product size of less pathogenic vaccine strain (TS 11). However, pvpA partial nucleotide sequences of MG local strains showed that 20 out of 25 strains possessed similar gene size pattern with MG F, which were different from MGS6 and TS 11. In conclusion, based on the molecular characterization from phylogenetic analysis of pMGA and pvpA partial nucleotide sequences, it was found that Malaysian MG strains were different from strains reported in other countries.