Molecular Analysis of 16s-rRNA and Associated Gene Segments for Identification of Probiotic Phenotypes

The 16s-rRNA consists of hypervariable regions (V1 – V9) that demonstrate considerable sequence diversity among different bacteria. Species-specific sequences within a given hypervariable region constitute useful targets for diagnostic assays and other scientific investigations. Usually, the size of the gene region is 1500 bp, which is large enough to be analyzed using bioinformatic tools and applied for detection. The need to advance the knowledge of the 16s-rRNA gene segments in bacterial strains would allow better understanding and better diagnostic possibilities when dealing with them. This could also be the basis for investigation of pathogenic microorganisms.