Identification of Clostridium butyricum, Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium tyrobutyricum by hybridization with 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes

Summary A rapid method for the identification of bacteria, even usable in a routine laboratory was developed. After comparison with the sequences of 16S rRNA genes of a data-bank complementary oligonucleotide probes for Clostridium butyricum, Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium tyrobutyricum were synthesized. The specificity of the probes was tested by non-radioactive dot blot hybridization with nucleic acids, extracted from bacteria type strains typically occurring in milk and cheese and other related microorganisms. The oligonucleotide probes for Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium tyrobutyricum showed specific signals whereas the probe for Clostridium butyricum could not distinguish between this organism and the closely related Clostridium kainantoi .