Species-specific oligonucleotide probes for the detection and identification of Lactobacillus isolated from mouse faeces.
OBJECTIVE
To develop species-specific monitoring techniques for rapid detection and identification of Lactobacillus isolated from mouse faeces.


RESULTS
The specificity of oligonucleotide probes was evaluated by dot blot hybridization to 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA amplified by PCR from 12 Lactobacillus type strains and 100 strains of Lactobacillus isolated from mouse faeces. Oligonucleotide probes specific for each Lactobacillus species hybridized only with targeted rDNA. The Lactobacillus strains isolated from mouse faeces were identified mainly as Lactobacillus intestinalis, L. johnsonii, L. murinus and L. reuteri using species-specific probes. 16S rDNA of eight unidentified isolates were sequenced and two new probes were designed. Four of eight strains of unhybridized Lactobacillus were identified as L. johnsonii/gasseri group, and the remaining four strains as L. vaginalis.


CONCLUSIONS
The species-specific probe set of L. intestinalis, L. johnsonii, L. murinus, L. reuteri and L. vaginalis in this study was efficient for rapid identification of Lactobacillus isolated from mouse faeces.


CONCLUSIONS
The oligonucleotide probe set for Lactobacillus species harboured in the mouse intestine, can be used for rapid identification of lactobacilli and monitoring of the faecal Lactobacillus community.
Park
S H
SH
Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Itoh
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051379:Mice; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes