PCR and RFLP Methods for the Specific Detection and Identification of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA hybridization, and sequence analysis have been valuable in the study of the phylogenic relationships between members of the Mycoplasma mycoides “cluster” (1 ). They have confirmed the very close relationships between these organisms suggested by others (2 ,3 ), and in the case of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC (Mmm SC), provided a rapid diagnostic test for the detection and identification of this organism based on DNA amplification by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) between Mmm SC and (Mmm LC) (4 ).