Comprehensive ribotyping scheme for heat-stable serotypes of Campylobacter jejuni

Strains from diverse sources belonging to all 47 heat-stable Penner serotypes of Campylobacter jejuni were examined for polymorphism around the 16S rRNA genes. Penner serotype reference strains and a group of nonserotypeable isolates were included in the study. Complete typeability was obtained; 30 distinct PstI and 42 HaeIII polymorphisms were found. Three bands were detected in almost all strains with these enzymes, confirming that three copies of the 16S rRNA gene are typical for C.jejuni. By combination of the two enzyme polymorphisms, 77 16S ribotypes were defined among the 261 strains analyzed. With two exceptions, no specific association was observed between these ribotypes and heat-stable serotypes. Nine serotypes were homogeneous with respect to the 16S ribotype. Most nonserotypeable strains belonged to ribotypes defined elsewhere in the study. The 16S ribotypes of C.jejuni described here were not found in strains of Campylobacter coli, and vice versa.