Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST)

Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) makes use of sequencing technology to discover alternative forms of a gene, variants in conserved genes for the purpose of characterizing, subtyping, and classifying members of bacterial populations. The technique involves PCR amplification followed by DNA sequencing. Differences or similarities between strains of bacteria are determined by comparing a number of genes between them. Typically 7-8 genes are sequenced to provide acceptable discriminatory power. MLST is considered state of the art because it is unambiguous and reproducible