Genetic diversity in Thai strains of Erwinia carotovora subsp carotovora based on ERIC profiles and RFLP of a pel gene

Molecular fingerprinting techniques of enterobacterial repetitive intergeni c consensus (ERIC) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of a pel gene were applied to determine genetic diversity in Thai strains of Er winia carotovora subsp. carotovora. ERIC fingerprinting revealed a greater genotypic diversity with 10 PCR groups in 22 Thai strains. When PCR for the pel gene was carried out using the four subspecies atroseptica, carotovora , betavasculorum and wasabiae, no PCR products were obtained in the case of betavas-culorum. RFLP analysis with Sau3A was undertaken for the amplified fragments. Digestion patterns of 22 Thai strains were divided into two gro ups. ERIC group 1 and RFLP group 2 were composed of biovar D that were isol ated from chinease cabbage, coriander and sweet pepper. The genetic diversi ty of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora appears to be related to their host p lants and biovars in considering ERIC and RFLP data. These results indicate that ERIC and RFLP analyses will be useful as benchmarks for genetic chara cterization of E. carotovora at subspecies and infraspecific level.