Abstract
A new method (DNA probe method) based on DNA-DNA hybridization has developed for detecting and identifying specific microorganisms in environmental samples. The principle of DNA probe methodology is the denaturing and annealing of complementary sequences of DNA molecules. DNA probe method has several advantages compared to conventional detection and identification methods such as selective plating and fluorescent antibody techniques: (1) Specific microorganisms can be detected by their genotype instead of their phenotype, (2) It is not necessary to culture the organisms before detection and identification, and (3) Horizontal gene transfer can be assessed. A lot of literatures using DNA probe method for detection and identification of specific microorganisms in environmental samples have recently been reported. In this review, classification of the DNA probe methods used in these papers, based on its specificity and sensitivity, is presented, and various kinds of hybridization techniques are also presented.
