[A species-specific DNA probe for identifying toxic strains of anthrax pathogens]

On the plasmid DNA pOX01 of the anthrax pathogen two BamHI fragments were localized which facilitate detection of the Bacillus anthracis strains carrying pXO1 replicon. These fragments, after complete hydrolysis of plasmid DNA by HindIII, were cloned on the vector plasmids pUC19 and pBR322 by the "shot-gun" method in Escherichia coli cells. It is shown that the 900 bp BamHI/HindIII fragment from the pZAT1 recombinant plasmid has an ability for specific hybridization with DNA of toxigenic strains of B. anthracis and could be used as species-specific anthracic DNA probe which identifies toxigenic strains of the anthrax pathogen differentiating it from the other species of Bacillus genus as well as from the bacteria of other taxonomy groups.