We have designed a new ddLMS PCR (double digestion Ligation Mediated Suppression PCR) method based on restriction site polymorphism upstream from the specific target sequence for the simultaneous identification and differentiation of bacterial strains. The ddLMS PCR combines a simple PCR used for species or genus identification and the LM PCR strategy for strain differentiation. The bacterial identification is confirmed in the...

Bacterial strain typing, or identifying bacteria at the strain level, is particularly important for diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiological surveillance of bacterial infections. This is especially the case for bacteria exhibiting high levels of antibiotic resistance or virulence, and those involved in nosocomial or pandemic infections. Strain typing also has applications in studying bacterial population dynamics.

Techniques relies on the ligation of appropriates adapters (LM-PCR) as AFLP, PCR MP and ADSRRS are successfully used for epidemiological studies for prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. In this study we propose a new method, called the LM-PCR/Shifter, based on the use of a Class IIS restriction enzyme giving restriction fragments with different 4 base 5' overhangs (Shifter) and the ligation of appropriate oligonucleotide...