Genotyping of commensal Neisseria spp strains by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the diversity of the primary sequences of the 16S rRNA genes among 46 commensal Neisseria strains and evaluated the use of this approach as a molecular typing tool in comparison with PFGE analysis.

METHODS: Identification to the genus was done using conventional methods and API NH (bio-Mérieux® ). Identification to species level was based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. PFGE analysis was done using SpeI.

RESULTS: Fourteen, two, three and fourteen 16S rRNA sequence types were found among twenty Neisseria flavescens, two Neisseria sicca, five Neisseria macacae and nineteen Neisseria mucosa clinical isolates. Forty-three different PFGE patterns were found among the tested strains.

CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a high diversity among 16S rRNA genes which was reflected by PFGE analysis.