Genetic Identification of Staphylococcus aureus by Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Single-Base-Pair Mismatch in 16S Ribosomal RNA Gene

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is the most predominant and important pathogen in clinical microbiology. A DNA amplification assay using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was designed to identify S. aureus through a single-base-pair mismatch in the sequences of staphylococcal 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) genes. It was able to detect and identify S. aureus without requiring additional analytical techniques. Twenty-eight staphylococcal and non-staphylococcal strains were tested to verify the specificity of the assay, and only S. aureus strains gave a positive reaction. It may be possible to provide immediate and exact information for the identification of S. aureus.