RAPID IDENTIFICATION OF LACTOBACILLUS-PLANTARUM BY RAPD-PCR

The wide distribution and practical use of lactobacilli necessitates d evelopment of methods for their rapid isolation and identification. In particular, such methods are necessary for monitoring natural and int roduced strains of lactobacilli during ensilage to optimize this proce ss. Twelve strains of lactobacilli were isolated from silage and wheat rhizosphere on Rogosa medium. The polymerase chain reaction with arbi trary primer (random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reacti on, RAPD-PCR) was used for species identification of the isolates and collection strains. A 17-nucleotide-long primer designated pUC/M13 was used. The patterns of amplification products of ten isolates were fou nd to be similar to those of the collection strains of Lactobacillus p lantarum, indicating that they belong to this species. A study of phys iological and biochemical characteristics (growth at different tempera tures and the profile of fermented carbohydrates) confirmed conclusion s based on the results of RAPD-PCR. Therefore, RAPD-PCR with the given primer can be used as a rapid and effective method for the identifica tion of the species L. plantarum.