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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2003, p. 2537-2546, Vol. 41, No. 6
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.6.2537-2546.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Species-Specific Identification of Campylobacters by Partial 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing

Gregor Gorkiewicz,1* Gebhard Feierl,2 Caroline Schober,1 Franz Dieber,3 Josef Köfer,3 Rudolf Zechner,1 and Ellen L. Zechner1

Institute of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology,1 Institute of Hygiene, Karl-Franzens University,2 Department of Veterinary Administration in Styria, Graz, Austria3

Received 4 November 2002/ Returned for modification 8 January 2003/ Accepted 4 March 2003

Species-specific identification of campylobacters is problematic, primarily due to the absence of suitable biochemical assays and the existence of atypical strains. 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA)-based identification of bacteria offers a possible alternative when phenotypic tests fail. Therefore, we evaluated the reliability of 16S rDNA sequencing for the species-specific identification of campylobacters. Sequence analyses were performed by using almost 94% of the complete 16S rRNA genes of 135 phenotypically characterized Campylobacter strains, including all known taxa of this genus. It was shown that 16S rDNA analysis enables specific identification of most Campylobacter species. The exception was a lack of discrimination among the taxa Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli and atypical C. lari strains, which shared identical or nearly identical 16S rDNA sequences. Subsequently, it was investigated whether partial 16S rDNA sequences are sufficient to determine species identity. Sequence alignments led to the identification of four 16S rDNA regions with high degrees of interspecies variation but with highly conserved sequence patterns within the respective species. A simple protocol based on the analysis of these sequence patterns was developed, which enabled the unambiguous identification of the majority of Campylobacter species. We recommend 16S rDNA sequence analysis as an effective, rapid procedure for the specific identification of campylobacters.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Microbiology, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Heinrichstr. 31a, A-8010 Graz, Austria. Phone: 43-316-380-1902. Fax: 43-316-380-9016. E-mail: gregor.gorkiewicz{at}uni-graz.at.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, June 2003, p. 2537-2546, Vol. 41, No. 6
0095-1137/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.41.6.2537-2546.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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