Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40722002›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2025

Design of genus-specific semi-nested primers for simple and accurate identification of Enterobacter strains.

Sara Jordan, Joël F Pothier, Pieter de Maayer, Kirk Broders, Brian H Kvitko, Teresa A Coutinho, Theo H M Smits

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Genome sequences of 71 ecologically and geographically diverseMicrobiology resource announcements · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sara JordanEnvironmental Genomics and Systems Biology Research Group, Institute for Environment and Natural Resources, Zürich University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland.ORCID 0009-0009-0462-5431
Joël F PothierEnvironmental Genomics and Systems Biology Research Group, Institute for Environment and Natural Resources, Zürich University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-9604-7780
Pieter de MaayerSchool of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0001-8550-642X
Kirk BrodersAgricultural Research Service, Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research Unit, USDA, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, N. University, Peoria, IL, 1815, 61604, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8569-6005
Brian H KvitkoDepartment of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, 120 Carlton St, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Teresa A CoutinhoDepartment of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics/Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-3227-4343
Theo H M SmitsEnvironmental Genomics and Systems Biology Research Group, Institute for Environment and Natural Resources, Zürich University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil, Switzerland. theo.smits@zhaw.ch.ORCID 0000-0002-1237-235X

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)- South-African National Research Foundation (NRF) Lead Agency project 310030L_204333USDA NIFA SCRI 2019-51181-30013
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe genus Enterobacter, in the family Enterobacteriaceae, is of both clinical and environmental importance. This genus has undergone frequent taxonomic changes, making it challenging to identify taxa even at genus level. This study aimed to design Enterobacter genus-specific primers that can be used for simple PCR identification of large sets of putative Enterobacter isolates.

resultsComparative genomic approaches were employed to identify genes that were universally present on Enterobacter genomes but absent from the genomes of other members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, based on an initial set of 89 genomes. The presence of these genes was further confirmed in 4,276 Enterobacter RefSeq genomes. While no strictly genus-specific genes were identified, the hpaB gene demonstrated a restricted distribution outside of the genus Enterobacter. Semi-nested primers were designed for hpaB and its flanking gene hpaC (hpaBC) and evaluated on 123 strains in single-tube PCR reactions. All taxa showing positive reactions belonged to the genus Enterobacter. For Enterobacter strains the PCR yielded two amplicons at 110 bp and at 370 bp, while strains only displaying the 110 bp amplicon were classified as Leclercia pneumoniae. A blind-test on 120 strains accessioned as Enterobacter sp. from the USDA-ARS culture collection (NRRL), revealed that one third of the strains had an incorrect genus assignment. Comparison of gene trees of the hpaBC fragment sequences with marker genes frequently used for single-gene barcoding or multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) further demonstrated its potential for preliminary species identification.

conclusionsThe nested PCR assay represents a rapid and cost-effective approach for preliminary identification of Enterobacter species. As the primer design was based on large-scale genomic comparison, including currently undescribed species clades, it will remain valid even after taxonomic changes within the genus.

Indexed as

DNA PrimersEnterobacterPolymerase Chain ReactionDNA, BacterialPhylogenyDNA, BacterialDNA PrimersDiagnosticsEnterobacteriaceaeLeclercia pneumoniaePCR

Identifiers

PMID40722002
PMCPMC12305906

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.