Design of cluster-specific 16S rDNA oligonucleotide probes to identify bacteria of the Bacteroides subgroup harbored in human feces

Abstract

To develop a new simple method for identification of bacteria in the Bacteroides subgroup isolated from human feces, we designed a panel of four 16S rDNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes specific for each cluster of the Bacteroides subgroup. The probes Bac and bacvul were targeted to the Bacteroides cluster, and the probes Pre and Por have their target regions characteristic to those of the Prevotella cluster and the Porphyromonas cluster, respectively. The probes presented in this work were constructed to be specific for reference strains in each cluster of the Bacteroides subgroup and were not cross-hybridized with other major intestinal bacteria. The use of combination of these four probes will faciliate the identification of the clusters of the Bacteroides subgroup harbored in the intestine as compared to biological and biochemical testings.