[Homology study of leptospires by molecular hybridization]

Nick translation and random primer labelling method were applied to prepare three genomic DNA probes from Leptospira interrogans strain 017, Leptospira biflexa strain Patoc I and Leptonema illini strain 3055, and then hybridized with DNA of 17 strains leptospires from different genus, species, serogroup and serovar. The results showed no homology between Leptospira and Leptonema, and only a low degree of homology between L. interrogans and L. biflexa but it showed a high degree of homology among L. interrogans. The study also proved the possibility to establish a DNA probe prepared from a single leptospira strain to detect different serovars.