Typing of Some Clinically Significant Nocardia Strains Using a Digoxigenin-Labelled rDNA Gene Probe

Authors: KAMİL IŞIK, NEVZAT ŞAHİN, ERGİN KARİPTAŞ, MICHAEL GOOFELLOW

Abstract: In this study, ribotyping (restriction polymorphism ribosomal RNA analyses) was applied as a taxonomic tool for bacteria belonging to the genus Nocardia. A total of 21 Nocardia strains were clearly distinguished using a combination of EcoRV gene restriction endonuclease patterns together with a digoxigenin-labelled Streptomyces violaceoruber TK21 rDNA probe. Five distinct ribotypes were identified, and each ribotype contained 4 to 8 restriction fragments ranging in size from 1.2 to 20.7 kb. The evaluation of the results showed that N. brasiliensis, N. farcinica, N. otitidiscaviarum and N. seriolea are taxonomically well-established species, except N. pseudobrasiliensis. Therefore, it can be concluded that ribotyping technique provide a useful information for the classification of clinically significant Nocardia.

Keywords: Nocardia, Ribotyping, Taxonomy

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