Optimization of conditions for restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in the identification of frankia strains

The efficacy of using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for strain identification of Frankia was tested. Frankia is an ecologically important member of the Actinomycetales that fixes nitrogen through a symbiotic association with various non-leguminous plants.

A new protocol for extraction of the DNA from Frankia was selected and conditions were optimized for obtaining clear and distinct restriction fragments of DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis. This was done by testing different concentrations of agarose used for the preparation of the gels and varying temperatures as well as types of buffers during the running of the gels.

The negatives of the photographs taken have been used in densitometry studies to document small differences between closely related strains or differences between a parent strain and a mutant strain.