title: Rapid detection and identification of Streptococcus ratti by a species-specific PCR method.
abstract: To establish a rapid and species-specific detection and identification method of Streptococcus ratti by polymerase chain reaction, two PCR primer pairs specific to S. ratti were designed on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of the dextranase gene (dex) of S. ratti ATCC19645(T). The primer pairs specifically detected S. ratti, but none of the other mutans streptococci (16 strains of 6 species). The PCR procedure was capable of detecting 1 pg of genomic DNA purified from S. ratti ATCC19645. We developed the Streptococcus mutans-, Streptococcus sobrinus-, Streptococcus downei- and Streptococcus salivarius-specific PCR methods (the dex PCR methods) with the primer pairs specific for a portion of the dex gene of each species. The mixture of these primer pairs including S. ratti (this study) successfully differentiated the five species of mutans streptococci by species-specific amplicons of different lengths. These results suggest that the present PCR method is suitable for the specific detection and identification of S. ratti, and that the mixture of primer pairs for the dex PCR methods is useful for species-specific detection and rapid discrimination of each species in mutans streptococci.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Microbiology, Showa University School of Dentistry, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Jumpei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nishio
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Juichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Higashi
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Tokuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D003910:Dextranase / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D003910:Dextranase