title: Rapid identification of Enterococcus durans and Enterococcus hirae by PCR with primers targeted to the ddl genes.
abstract: Species-specific PCR assays with primers targeted to D-alanine:D-alanine ligase (ddl) encoding genes were developed for the identification of Enterococcus durans and E. hirae. The specificity of the primers was validated in a multiplex PCR on well characterised E. durans (n=30) and E. hirae (n=16) strains, all of which were identified correctly. This PCR procedure offers a reliable and rapid alternative to conventional phenotypic methods for speciation of these enterococci of growing clinical importance.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Scientifico e Tecnologico, Facoltà di Scienze MM.FF.NN., Università degli Studi di Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, Cà Vignal 2-37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Knijff
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dellaglio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrighetto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Torriani
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D017931:DNA Primers; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010453:Peptide Synthases / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D010453:Peptide Synthases; C019638:D-alanylalanine synthetase