AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE USE OF RESTRICTION-ENDONUCLEASE ANALYSIS FOR THE STUDY OF TRANSMISSION OF ACTINOMYCES

DNA fingerprints of 28 reference strains of Actinomyces, comprising re presentatives of different species and serotypes, and 19 isolates reco vered from 16 periodontal patients was performed. The aim was to deter mine the potential of the method for detecting strain differences in t erms of discriminatory power and to evaluate its usefulness in the typ ing of Actinomyces strains for ecoepidemiological studies. Among the 1 7 restriction endonucleases tested, Bst EII, Pvu II and Sma I proved t o be the most suitable for the genus Actinomyces restriction digest an alysis. Visual comparisons of Bst EII, Pvu II and Sma I digest pattern s of chromosomal DNA revealed clear differences within species but als o within serotypes of Actinomyces that are otherwise identical. The me thod offers the qualities for use as an epidemiological tool for ident ifying sources and tracing routes of transmission of Actinomyces: stab ility, reproducibility, ease of preparation and interpretation and eno ugh sensitivity for detection of differences between morphologically a nd serologically similar strains of Actinomyces.