title: [Development of an identification method for Streptococcus oligofermentans: a new species of oral streptococci with molecular markers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a quick and reliable method to identify Streptococcus oligofermentans, a new species of oral streptococci.
  
  
  METHODS
  With two-step PCR, a pair of the 16S rDNA-specific primers of Streptococcus oligofermentans and a pair of primers of lactate oxidase gene (lox) were used to amplify the gene fragments from the genomic DNAs of 11 strains consisting of 9 species of the pure culture of oral streptococci. Pooled plaque samples from 9 caries-free volunteers were cultured on a selective medium of MSA with erythromycin and tentative strains of Streptococcus oligofermentans were isolated. The isolates were further identified by the two-step PCR and finally confirmed by 16S rDNA sequence analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the two-step PCR, the two gene fragments were only amplified from the three identified strains of Streptococcus oligofermentans, but not the rest of 8 strains of oral streptococci. Isolates from the dental plaque of caries-free volunteers were identified as Streptococcus oligofermentans by PCR and then further confirmed by 16S rDNA sequence homology analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Streptococcus oligofermentans could be identified by the two-step PCR approach with the specific 16S rDNA primers and lactate oxidase gene primers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui-chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Xiu-zhu
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Xue-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; C021497:lactate 2-monooxygenase