Use of PCR and RFLP Analysis for Identification of Mycobacteria and Nocardia

聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增a 快速生长的分枝杆菌和 诺卡氏菌，其次是限制性片段长度多态性 扩增产物的限制性片段长度多态性（RFLP）分析，正在评估， 评估这些程序在诊断中的实用性 实验室这项技术已经证明在提供 在几天内对这些生物进行初步鉴定， 微生物分离，与所需的月或更长时间相比 用于基于生化测试的常规鉴定。在 此外，这些分子程序似乎通常允许更多的 准确的物种和亚种之间的区别比 生化测试的可能性。我们的工作与一部分的 16S核糖体RNA的基因组表明， 迄今未发现的诺卡氏菌属。其中一些工作是 目前正在准备出版。对于快速增长的 分枝杆菌，该程序的研究结果 促使我们重新评估耐盐试验， 用来帮助鉴定这些生物的表型。 我们已经确定了进行盐的最佳条件 耐受性测试，并已表明，即使在最好的 在这种情况下，它不具有歧视的权力， 分子方法一份报告这些结果的手稿已经 公开.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a portion of the genome of both rapidly growing mycobacteria and nocardia, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the amplification products, is being evaluated to assess the utility of these procedures for use in the diagnostic laboratory. The technique has already proven useful in providing preliminary identification of these organisms within a few days of organism isolation, as compared with the month or more required for conventional identification based on biochemical testing. In addition, these molecular procedures seem generally to allow more accurate discrimination among species and subspecies than is possible with biochemical testing. Our work with a portion of the genome for 16S ribosomal RNA has suggested the existence of a hitherto unrecognized Nocardia species. Some of this work is currently being prepared for publication.For the rapidly growing mycobacteria, results of the studies with this procedure have stimulated us to reassess the salt tolerance test, which is widely used to help with the phenotypic identification of these organisms. We have defined the optimal conditions for performing the salt tolerance test, and have shown that even under the best of circumstances it does not have the discriminating power of the molecular methods. A manuscript reporting these results has been published.