Rapid identification of Clavibacter michiganensis subspecies sepedonicus based on the stable low molecular weight RNA (LMW RNA) profiles

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus causes potato ring rot disease . The identification process for this bacterium is complex and long. This w ork demonstrates that the stable low-molecular-weight (LMW) RNA profiles al low their rapid identification. Staircase electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels was used to analyze the LMW RNA profiles of 54 strains of C. michigan ensis subsp. sepedonicus from different geographic origins. The profiles of several strains of other subspecies of C. michiganensis and other pathogen s of potatoes were also analyzed. All the strains of C. michiganensis subsp . sepedonicus had the same LMW RNA profile. They had a band in class 2 of t RNA that was absent in the other subspecies of the species C. michiganensis . Also, the LMW RNA of C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus was different wi th respect to the LMW RNA profiles of other pathogens of potato. The result s indicate the possible utilization of LMW RNA profiles in identification o f the bacteria causing potato ring rot disease.