Heterogeneity among 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacers of species within the 'Streptococcus milleri group'

• Published in: Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 1995-06, Vol.141 (6), p.1461-1467
• Main Authors: Whiley, R. A, Duke, B, Hardie, J. M, Hall, L. M. C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, Bacterial; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; RNA, Bacterial - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 23S - genetics; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Species Specificity; Streptococcus - classification; Streptococcus - genetics; Systematics
• ISSN: 1350-0872; 1465-2080
• DOI: 10.1099/13500872-141-6-1461

1 Departments of Oral Microbiology, The London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, London E1 2AD, UK 2 Departments of Medical Microbiology, The London Hospital Medical College, Turner Street, London E1 2AD, UK *Tel: [phone] ext. 3219. Fax: [phone]. e-mail: R. [e-mail] ABSTRACT The 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer has been suggested as a suitable region of the bacterial genome from which to derive useful taxonomic information, particularly with regard to identification at the species level. To investigate this approach as an aid to the identification of the three species comprising the ‘ Streptococcus milleri group’ (SMG), the spacers of isolates of Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus constellatus were amplified by PCR and length polymorphisms determined by agarose gel electrophoresis. Phenotypically atypical isolates which had been identified presumptively as belonging to these three species were also included. Spacers from two representatives of each spacer length found within the three SMG species were sequenced. 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer length polymorphisms allowed discrimination between S. anginosus (350 bp or 450 bp amplification product) and S. constellatus (380 bp amplification product), species that are difficult to differentiate phenotypically. S. intermedius (330 bp or 450 bp amplification product) and S. anginosus (350 bp or 450 bp amplification product) were not reliably distinguished by this method but are phenotypically distinct. Sequencing data demonstrated that the spacers had a central region of highly variable length flanked by conserved regions which included a single tRNA Ala gene. Polymorphism in the length of the 16S-23S spacer determined by PCR provides a rapid and useful adjunct to strain identification for S. anginosus and S. constellatus , which are not readily differentiated phenotypically. Keywords: Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus constellatus, 16S-23S intergenic rRNA spacer, length polymorphism