IDENTIFICATION OF ENTEROPATHOGENIC CAMPYLOBACTER SPECIES BY OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PROBES AND POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION BASED ON 16S RIBOSOMAL-RNAGENES

On the basis of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences published for Campy lobacter species C. jejuni, C. coli, C. fetus and C. hyointestinalis, we were able to design three oligonucleotide probes (probes 6-1, 10-1 and 18-1r) specific only for C. jejuni and C. coli. 16S rRNA genes of 60 different Campylobacter strains were amplified by the Polymerase Ch ain Reaction (PCR) using universally conserved primers and the amplifi cation products were hybridized with the probes. This analysis showed that probe 6-1 hybridizes with the 16S rRNA from C. jejuni, C. coli, C . lari and C. upsaliensis; probe 10-1 hybridizes with 16S rRNA from C. jejuni, C. coli and C. lari, while probe 18-1r hybridizes with 16S rR NA from C. jejuni, C. coli, C. lari and some strains of C. upsaliensis . When the oligonucleotides 6-1 and 18-1r are used as primers in PCR a mplification, and the resulting PCR product is hybridized with the int ernal probe 10-1, the DNA equivalent of two bacteria can be detected s pecifically for the group of pathogenic species C. jejuni, C. coli, an d C. lari.