APPLICATION OF THE RIBONUCLEASE-P (RNASE-P) RNA GENE SEQUENCE FOR PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE GENUS SACCHAROMONOSPORA

Sequences of the RNase P RNA gene were investigated for the phylogenet ic analysis of the genus Saccharomonospora. Aligned nucleotide sequenc es, determined from the PCR-amplified RNase P RNA gene of representati ve strains of the genus Saccharomonospora, displayed 94.2+/-1.3% inter specific variances. The intraspecific similarity value was 99.7+/-100 % in all species tested. Saccharomonospora azurea K161(T) and 'Sacchar omonospora caesia' K76(T) displayed identical RNase P RNA gene sequenc es in the region that was determined and Saccharomonospora sp. K180 sh owed sequences distinct from validly described species with a similari ty value of 94.6+/-1.0%. The phylogenetic trees constructed by alignin g the sequences either within the genus Saccharomonospora or with othe r Cram-positive bacteria were similar to the ones derived using sequen ces of the 16S rDNA gene. Advantageous features of this gene for appli cation as a molecular phyletic marker are discussed.