DNA-FINGERPRINTING OF CAMPYLOBACTER-FETUS USING CLONED CONSTRUCTS OF RIBOSOMAL-RNA AND SURFACE ARRAY PROTEIN GENES

DNA fragments coding for the ribosomal RNA and the surface array prote ins of Campylobacter fetus have been cloned from a genomic library con structed in Escherichia coli. They were used in the molecular characte rization of C. fetus (subsp. fetus; subsp. venerealis) strains by rest riction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. Ribotyping results showed that all strains of the two subspecies can be classified under one ribogroup implying very close relatedness. The sapA gene DNA mark er, however, discriminated all the strains regardless of the subspecie s when chromosomal DNA was restricted with HindIII, HaeIII, XbaI or Ec oRV. These results illustrate that the sapA probe is potentially usefu l in fingerprinting C. fetus strains and in determining the relationsh ips of strains for epidemiological purposes.