Design and uses of Bdellovibrio 16S r-RNA-targeted oligonucleotides

An 18-mer oligonucleotide almost exclusively targeting Bdellovibrio spp. wa s designed based on available 16S rRNA sequence data. Thr specificity of th is oligonucleotide used as a PCR primer in combination with a Bacteria doma in-targeted primer as well as used as a probe in rRNA Jot blot hybridizatio ns was experimentally confirmed using a variety of alpha-, beta-. gamma-. d elta-Proteobacteria and Gram-positive bacteria. Similarly, combinations of the Bacteria primer with oligonucleotides targeting the: 16S rRNA gene of B dellovibrio bacteriovorus and Bdellovibrio stolpii were shown to be species specific bq PCR. Positive amplification products. were obtained from an ir rigation water sample in which a low; level of bdellovibrios was detected b y plating as well us from soil detached from potato tubers. using the Bdell ovibrio spp.-Bacteria and the B. bacteriovirus-Bacteria primer pairs. (C) 2 000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published bq Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.