The occurrence of Arcobacter spp. was studied in seawater and plankton samples collected from the Straits of Messina, Italy, during an annual period of observation by using cultural and molecular techniques. A PCR assay with three pairs of primers targeting the 16S and 23S rRNA genes was used for detection and identification of Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, and Arcobacter skirrowii in cultures and environmental samples. Only one of the Arcobacter species, A. butzleri, was isolated from seawater and plankton samples. With some samples the A. butzleri PCR assay gave amplified products when cultures were negative. A. cryaerophilus and A. skirrowii were never detected by culture on selective agar plates; they were detected only by PCR performed directly with environmental samples. Collectively, our data suggest that culturable and nonculturable forms of Arcobacter are present in marine environments. The assay was useful for detecting Arcobacter spp. both as free forms and intimately associated with plankton. This is the first report showing both direct isolation of A. butzleri and the presence of nonculturable Arcobacter spp. in the coastal environment of the Mediterranean Sea.
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机译：发生变形杆菌。在一年的观察期内，通过使用文化和分子技术，对从意大利墨西拿海峡收集的海水和浮游生物样本进行了研究。使用具有三对靶向16S和23S rRNA基因的引物的PCR分析法，可检测和鉴定培养物和环境样品中的Butzleri芽孢杆菌，cryalerophilus杆菌和skirrowii杆菌。从海水和浮游生物样品中仅分离出一种弓形杆菌，即A. butzleri。对于某些样品，当培养物阴性时，A。butzleri PCR分析可得到扩增的产物。在选择性琼脂平板上培养从未检测到嗜冷曲霉和斯基氏曲霉。仅通过直接对环境样品进行PCR才能检测到它们。总体而言，我们的数据表明海洋环境中存在可培养和不可培养形式的Arcobacter。该测定法可用于检测弧菌。既是自由形式，又与浮游生物密切相关。这是第一份报告，显示了直接分离出Butzleri A. Butzleri和存在不可培养的Arcobacter spp。在地中海的沿海环境中。
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