One Step Multiplex PCR for Identifications at Subspecies Level of Fusobacterium nucleatum and Fusobacterium necrophorum

Abstract

Purpose: Fusobacterium nucleatum is an opportunistic pathogen involved in periodontal diseases, extraoral infections, and colorectal cancer. Fusobacterium necrophorum causes a variety of necrotic infections. F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum are classified into five and two subspecies, respectively. Conventional identification methods were technically hard to distinguish each subspecies of two Fusobacterium species accurately. The purpose of the present study was to design primers to identify two medically important Fusobacterium species at the subspecies level, using one-step multiplex PCR. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were designed based on partial sequences of the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene, RNA polymerase B (rpoB) gene, and DNA gyrase subunit B (gyrB) of each subspecies of F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum. Results: These primers were able to distinguish each subspecies of F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum and did not display cross-reactivity with representative Fusobacterium species other than F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum. Conclusion: Our developed one-step multiplex PCR method is accurate, specific, cost-effective, time-saving, and worked without requiring DNA extraction.