DIFFERENTIATION OF AEROMONAS GENOMOSPECIES USING RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA-POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION (RAPD-PCR)

Random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was used to investigate the differentiation of the genus Aeromonas at the genomospecies level. Of 20 primers evaluated, six produced profile s which contained multiple bands capable of differentiating the genomo species. These six primers were also used in RAPD-PCR analyses of clin ical and environmental isolates of the different genomospecies. In mos t cases, each strain gave a unique fingerprint, illustrating genetic h eterogeneity at the genomospecies level. However, some homogeneity in fragment sizes was seen among strains within a genomospecies which was not apparent in strains from different genomospecies. This study ther efore complements and supports the current classification of Aeromonas into genomospecies. These results also show that RAPD-PCR has the pot ential to differentiate between the genomospecies of Aeromonas.