Use of repetitive intergenic DNA sequences to classify pathogenic and disease-suppressive Streptomyces strains

PCR DNA fingerprinting using repetitive intergenic DNA sequences (rep-PCR) was investigated as a means of differentiating between closely related strains of Streptomyces which were, in some cases, indistinguishable by other classification methods. Our results demonstrated that the majority of strains had unique rep-PCR DNA fingerprints and established that the technique could be a very useful tool in rapidly determining strain identity.