RIBOTYPING OF MYCOPLASMA-GALLISEPTICUM STRAINS WITH A 16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA GENE PROBE

Ribotyping with a 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) probe was applied to 2 5 Mycoplasma gallisepticum strains composed of nine originally isolate d in the US and UK, and 16 field isolates from Japan. Four distinct ri botypes were identified among the M. gallisepticum strains on the basi s of sizes of the bands produced by digesting genomic DNA with restric tion enzymes HindIII, EcoRI, BglII and EcoRV. Three ribotypes were rec ognized among the 16 Japanese isolates. The original and vaccine F str ains were classified as the same ribotype, although they produced diff erent banding patterns with BglII, suggesting that the vaccine strain may be a mutant of the original. Other avian mycoplasma species produc ed banding patterns different from each other and from M. gallisepticu m strains. Characterization of M. gallisepticum strains by ribotyping with a 16S rDNA probe may benefit surveillance and epidemiological inv estigations on M. gallisepticum infection.