MICROTITRE PLATE HYBRIDIZATION SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF THERMOPHILIC CAMPYLOBACTER RIBOSOMAL-RNA

A microtitre plate nucleic acid probe hybridization system was develop ed for the detection of ribosomal RNA from thermophilic Campylobacter (Camp. jejuni, Camp. coli, Camp. lari and Camp. upsaliensis). A specif ic DNA probe obtained by amplification of 23S rRNA sequences using the polymerase chain reaction technique was immobilized on a microtitre p late, and used for hybridization with target 23S rRNA from cell lysate s. The RNA-DNA hybrids thus formed in the wells were detected by an im munoenzymatic assay using a monoclonal antiRNA-DNA hybrid antibody. Th e sensitivity of this system was 2.7 x 10(4) cells ml(-1). This simple , sensitive and inexpensive hybridization and immunoenzymatic assay sy stem should facilitate the detection of Campylobacter in food and clin ical samples.