ANALYSIS OF PARTIAL 16S-RIBOSOMAL-RNA NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCES OF CHLAMYDIA-PECORUM AND C-PSITTACI

Partial 16S nucleotide sequences of Chlamydia psittaci isolates S26/3 (abortion), P94/1 (pigeon) and Chlamydia pecorum isolates W73 (enteric ) and E58 (encephalomyelitis) were determined. Analysis of these data indicates very high levels of interspecies sequence conservation, with C. psittaci being more closely related to C. pecorum than to C. pneum oniae or C. trachomatis. Restriction enzyme analysis of nucleotide seq uences indicated that Bsa can be used to clearly distinguish C. psitta ci and C. pecorum isolates. Psittacine and non-psittacine (pigeon) avi an isolates of C. psittaci were distinguished using MaeI.