Sd. Clarke et al., RIBOSOMAL DNA RESTRICTION FRAGMENT ANALYSIS OF SOME CLOSELY-RELATED STREPTOMYCES SPECIES, Systematic and applied microbiology, 16(2), 1993, pp. 256-260
Fourteen Streptomyces species were examined for restriction fragment l
ength polymorphisms (RFLPs) of their ribosomal RNA genes. Thirteen of
the Streptomyces species studied had been found previously to be close
ly related by phenetic numerical classification and DNA-DNA hybridizat
ion. Considerable variations in the RFLP patterns between species were
evident, although a significant number of common fragments were obser
ved. A method was established to increase the number of fragments per
strain on a single agarose gel to enlarge the data base available for
analysis. Analysis of the RFLPs revealed relationships similar to thos
e obtained in previous studies. RFLP analysis appears to be an accurat
e and rapid strain identification tool for Streptomyces, although rela
tionships based on RFLPs may be valid only for very closely related St
reptomyces strains or species.