Use of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis to differentiate isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from cockles (Anadara granosa)

A total of 35 Kanagawa-negative strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from cockles (Anadara granosa) were investigated by randomly amplified pol ymorphic DNA fingerprinting with three primers and their plasmid profiles. Eighteen strains carried small plasmid(s) of 2.4 to 7.3 kb that enabled the V. parahaemolyticus to be grouped into eight plasmid patterns. The three p rimers generated polymorphisms in all 35 strains of V. parahaemolyticus tes ted, producing bands ranging from 0.25 to 3.9 kb. The RAPD profiles reveale d a high level of DNA sequence diversity within the Vibrio pal parahaemolyt icus strains tested, and that cockles in the study area are populated by ge netically polymorphic strains of V. parahaemolyticus.