Application of the random amplified polymorphic DNA using the polymerase chain reaction for efficient elimination of duplicate strains in microbial screening. III. Bacteria.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was evaluated for the selection and elimination of bacterial strains used in microbial screening. For this pilot study we used eight bacterial strains producing fragin and two Pseudomonas fragi strains, which are often isolated during the screening. A dendrogram constructed by the statistical analysis using parsimony, PAUP, based on the band patterns of RAPD with primer R28 was in good correlation with the results of DNA-DNA hybridization, HPLC analysis of metabolites, and conventional morphological and physiological characterization. RAPD was also applicable to a wide range of bacteria. This rapid selection system by RAPD was a very useful tool for excluding similar bacterial isolates encountered during screening.