CHARACTERIZATION OF DAIRY ENTEROCOCCI BY RESTRICTION-ENDONUCLEASE AND RDNA FINGERPRINTING

DNA from 27 strains of Enterococcus faecalis, 11 of Enterococcus faecium, one of Enter ococcus durans and one of Enterococcus casseliflavus, mostly isolated from dairy materials, was investigated by restriction endonuclease and rDNA fingerprinting. The restriction patterns after digestion with Hind III or Eco RI showed high polymorphism both among species and within the same species. They also allowed all the strains of Enterococcus faecalis to be distinguished by a typical region. Ribotyping (after digestion with Hind III or Eco RI) was more suitable at the level of species discrimination but no consistent difference was evidenced among strains belonging to once recognized subspecies of Enterococcus faecalis.