PNNL

Abstract

We report on a genome-independent microbial fingerprinting method using nucleic acid microarrays for microbial forensics and epidemiology applications. We demonstrate that the microarray method provides high-resolution differentiation between closely related microorganisms using Salmonella enterica strains. In replicate trials we used a simple 192-probe nonamer array to construct a fingerprint library of 25 closely related Salmonella isolates. Controlling false discovery rate for multiple testing at alpha =.05, at least 295 of 300 pairs of S. enterica isolate fingerprints were found to be statistically distinct using a modified Hotelling Tsquared test. Although we find most pairs of Salmonella fingerprints to be distinct, forensic applications will also require a protocol for library construction and reliable microbial classification against a fingerprint library. We outline additional steps required to produce a protocol for library construction and reliable classification of unknown organisms.