Identification of Weissella species by the genus-specific amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis.

The Weissella species have been increasingly isolated from many food and meat samples. For rapid and systematic identification of Weissella species, an amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) has been developed. This method employs both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction pattern analysis: first, PCR using the genus-specific primers that were designed from 16S rDNA sequence produces a 725-bp band only from Weissella species and next, restriction analysis using MnlI, MseI, and BceAI restriction enzymes identifies these Weissella-specific PCR fragments to the species level. This ARDRA method clearly identified six Weissella strains isolated from kimchi as well as 10 validly described Weissella type strains. Therefore, these results suggest that this ARDRA is a rapid and reliable method for identification of Weissella species.