ANALYSIS OF RIBOSOMAL DNA RESTRICTION PATTERNS IN THE GENUS KLUYVEROMYCES

Riboprinting was used to determine the relationships among strains bel onging to 15 species of the genus Kluyveromyces. The small subunit rib osomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA) was amplified using the Polymerase Chain Re action (PCR) and subjected to a battery of nine restriction enzymes. S imilarity coefficients between strains were calculated based on shared and unique restriction fragments. Cluster analysis revealed three maj or groups that generally correlated with previously reported relations hips based on other molecular data. Variations in SSU rDNA restriction fragments may be used for differentiation of the Kluyveromyces strain s included in this study.