Rapid Identification of Clinically RelevantNocardia Species to Genus Level by 16S rRNA Gene PCR

摘要

Two regions of the gene coding for 16S rRNA in Nocardiaspecies were selected as genus-specific primer sequences for a PCR assay. The PCR protocol was tested with 60 strains of clinically relevant Nocardia isolates and type strains. It gave positive results for all strains tested. Conversely, the PCR assay was negative for all tested species belonging to the most closely related genera, including Dietzia, Gordona,Mycobacterium, Rhodococcus,Streptomyces, and Tsukamurella. Besides, unlike the latter group of isolates, all Nocardia strains exhibited one MlnI recognition site but no SacI restriction site. This assay offers a specific and rapid alternative to chemotaxonomic methods for the identification of Nocardiaspp. isolated from pathogenic samples.