Identification of Legionella species by random amplified polymorphic DNA profiles.
Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used for the identification of Legionella species. Primer SK2 (5'-CGGCGGCGGCGG-3') and standardized RAPD conditions gave the technique a reproducibility of 93 to 100%, depending on the species tested. Species-specific patterns corresponding to the 42 Legionella species were consequently defined by this method; the patterns were dependent on the recognition of a core of common bands for each species. This specificity was demonstrated by testing 65 type strains and 265 environmental and clinical isolates. No serogroup-specific profiles were obtained. A number of unidentified Legionella isolates potentially corresponding to new species were clustered in four groups. RAPD analysis appears to be a rapid and reproducible technique for identification of Legionella isolates to the species level without further restriction or hybridization.
Lo Presti
F
F
Centre National de Référence des Legionella, EA1655, Faculté de Médecine R. T. H. Laennec, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France. derba@cimac-res.univ-lyon1.fr
Riffard
S
S
Vandenesch
F
F
Etienne
J
J
D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007875:Legionella / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007876:Legionellosis / Q000382:microbiology; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000382:microbiology; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity
D017931:DNA Primers