title: Development of a genus-specific PCR assay for the molecular detection, confirmation and identification of Fusobacterium spp.
abstract: A genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay is developed for the detection and identification of clinically relevant Fusobacterium species, including F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum. Two 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) primers, FUSO1 (forward primer: 5'-GAG AGA GCT TTG CGT CC-3' [17-mer]) and FUSO 2 (reverse primer: 5'-TGG GCG CTG AGG TTC GAC -3' [18-mer]) are designed to target conserved regions of the 16S rDNA gene for Fusobacterium spp. Subsequent proof-of-principle studies employing this assay detected Fusobacterium spp. in the faeces of eight (10%) out of 80 patients with suspected gastrointestinal infection. This assay may be used for the genus-specific detection of Fusobacterium spp. from clinical specimens and for subsequent species identification.
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory, Department of Bacteriology, Belfast City Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Coulter
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Elborn
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loughrey
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005673:Fusobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D005675:Fusobacterium necrophorum / Q000235:genetics; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D021521:Ribotyping / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S