NOTE - IDENTIFICATION OF LACTOBACILLUS-DELBRUECKII SUBSPECIES BULGARICUS AND SUBSPECIES LACTIS DAIRY ISOLATES BY AMPLIFIED RDNA RESTRICTIONANALYSIS

Amplification and restriction analysis of the 16S rRNA gene (PCR-ARDRA ) was used to identify Lactobacillus delbrueckii dairy isolates and to assign them to its three subspecies (delbrueckii, lactis and bulgaric us). PCR-ARDRA allowed confirmation of predictions from the DNA databa se regarding the restriction mapping of the 16S sequence to be verifie d in practice. PCR-ARDRA was shown to be a reliable and rapid method f or identifying Lact. delbrueckii isolates at the subspecies level and for differentiating this species from Lact. helveticus and Lact. acido philus.