[Molecular biological analysis of unclassified and uncultured bacteria]

With the advent of comparative rRNA sequence analysis and the introduction of molecular genetic methods, such as nucleic acid hybridization and amplification techniques, microbiology is gaining new grounds. Taxonomy based upon phylogenetic analysis leads to a reliable classification. Culture-independent identification procedures allow for the analysis of complex microbial ecosystems and the description of new, as-yet uncultivable infectious disease agents.