analyses of rRNA sequences can identify so-called signature sequence motifs on various taxonomic levels which are targets for an evolutionary-based identification (Giovannoni et al. 1988, Manz et al. 1992, Amann et al. 1995). In addition, the development of robust DNA cloning techniques and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have facilitated higher resolution analyses of more complex communities using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. It has been proposed that the highly variable, selectively neutral, intergenic spacer regions between the 5S and 16S or 16S and 23S rRNA genes might provide better targets (Aakra et al. 1999, Fisher and Triplett 1999). For community structure analysis, however, it seems rather unlikely that other parts of the bacterial genome could fully replace the 16S rRNA gene as target sites due to insufficient sequence information for comparisons.

DOI link for analyses of rRNA sequences can identify so-called signature sequence motifs on various taxonomic levels which are targets for an evolutionary-based identification (Giovannoni et al. 1988, Manz et al. 1992, Amann et al. 1995). In addition, the development of robust DNA cloning techniques and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have facilitated higher resolution analyses of more complex communities using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. It has been proposed that the highly variable, selectively neutral, intergenic spacer regions between the 5S and 16S or 16S and 23S rRNA genes might provide better targets (Aakra et al. 1999, Fisher and Triplett 1999). For community structure analysis, however, it seems rather unlikely that other parts of the bacterial genome could fully replace the 16S rRNA gene as target sites due to insufficient sequence information for comparisons.

analyses of rRNA sequences can identify so-called signature sequence motifs on various taxonomic levels which are targets for an evolutionary-based identification (Giovannoni et al. 1988, Manz et al. 1992, Amann et al. 1995). In addition, the development of robust DNA cloning techniques and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have facilitated higher resolution analyses of more complex communities using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. It has been proposed that the highly variable, selectively neutral, intergenic spacer regions between the 5S and 16S or 16S and 23S rRNA genes might provide better targets (Aakra et al. 1999, Fisher and Triplett 1999). For community structure analysis, however, it seems rather unlikely that other parts of the bacterial genome could fully replace the 16S rRNA gene as target sites due to insufficient sequence information for comparisons.