PCR fingerprinting for identification and discrimination of plant-associated facultative methylobacteria

Abstract

Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria (PPFMs) belonging to the genus Methylobacterium, often associated with phyllosphere and roots and symbiotically benefit the plant species. For identification and discrimination of common plant-associated Methylobacterium species, different PCR-based DNA fingerprinting techniques were evaluated along with metabolic divergence. Standard/type strains of 10 species of plant-associated Methylobacterium were fingerprinted by means of RAPD, ARDRA, RISA, BOX and ERIC markers. These species showed divergence in carbon-substrates utilization pattern. Among the above PCR techniques evaluated, RAPD, RISA and ERIC fingerprinting had high discriminatory power than ARDRA and BOX-PCR. Being simple, rapid and repeatable, RAPD, RISA and ERIC-PCR techniques could be used for species identification and diversity analysis of plant-associated PPFMs belonging to Methylobacterium.