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Comparative Study
. 2003 May;69(5):2651-6.
doi: 10.1128/AEM.69.5.2651-2656.2003.

Use of Bifidobacterium dentium as an indicator of the origin of fecal water pollution

Yolanda Nebra  1 , Xavier Bonjoch, Anicet R Blanch
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Use of Bifidobacterium dentium as an indicator of the origin of fecal water pollution

Yolanda Nebra et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 May.

Abstract

A new, simple, and specific protocol to discriminate between human and animal fecal pollution is described. The procedure is based on the detection of certain Bifidobacterium species in the samples. Two 16S rRNA gene-_targeted probes are described. One of these probes (BDE) has as its _target a region of the 16S rRNA gene of Bifidobacterium dentium, a Bifidobacterium species of exclusively human origin. The other probe (BAN) is based on the sequence of a region of 16S rRNA gene for several Bifidobacterium species related with animal origins. The specificity of both probes was evaluated by using 24 Bifidobacterium species, and their threshold detection limit was established by DNA-DNA hybridization. DNA-DNA hybridization with the BDE probe showed it to be specific for B. dentium, whereas that with the BAN probe showed it to be specific for B. animalis, B. asteroides, B. coryneforme, B. cuniculi, B. globosum, B. magnum, B. minimum, and B. subtile. A simple and specific protocol was also developed for the detection of their _target species in environmental samples (sewage and feces). DNA-DNA hybridization with the BAN probe was only positive for samples from cattle and goats. Thus, this probe is not suitable for the identification of any animal fecal pollution. Whereas all samples with human fecal pollution showed a positive DNA-DNA hybridization result with the BDE probe, none of those with animal fecal pollution did. Therefore, this finding supports the potential use of this probe in detecting fecal pollution of human origin.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
DNA-DNA hybridization of Bifidobacterium type strains with the BAN (A) and BDE (B) probes. Bifidobacterium strains: 1, B. adolescentis DSM 20083T; 2, B. angulatum DSM 20098T; 3, B. animalis DSM 20104T; 4, B. asteroides DSM 20089T; 5, B. bifidum DSM 20456T; 6, B. boum DSM 20432T; 7, B. breve DSM 20213T; 8, B. catenulatum DSM 20103T; 9, B. choerinum DSM 20434T; 10, B. coryneforme DSM 20216T; 11, B. cuniculi DSM 20435T; 12, B. dentium DSM 20084; 13, B. globosum DSM 20092T; 14, B. indicum DSM 20214T; 15, B. infantis DSM 20088T; 16, B. longum DSM 20219T; 17, B. magnum DSM 20222T; 18, B. minimum DSM 20102T; 19, B. pseudocatenulatum DSM 20438T; 20, B. pseudolongum DSM 20099T; 21, B. pullorum DSM 20433T; 22, B. subtile DSM 20096T; 23, B. suis DSM 20211T; 24, B. thermophilum DSM 20210T.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Threshold detection by specific hybridization with the BAN probe with a pure culture of B. globosum DSM 20092T (A) or a mixed suspension of B. globosum DSM 20092T and B. dentium DSM 20084 (C) and with the BDE probe with a pure culture of B. dentium DSM 20084 (B) or a mixed cell suspension (D).
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