Analysis of stable low molecular weight (LMW) RNA profiles of hydrocarbon metabolizing bacteria by staircase electrophoresis.

Staircase electrophoresis (SCE) in polyacrilamide gels was used to analyze the stable low-molecular weight (LMW) RNA profiles of several propane and butane oxidizing bacteria belonging to different species and genera. Differences in the number and distribution of the RNA bands in these profiles allowed us to differentiate among them. Congruent results were found between the established classification of these bacteria and results obtained by LMW RNA profiling and moreover, some misclassified strains can be assigned to the correct genus and species using this technique. LMW RNA profiling by staircase electrophoresis, which makes possible the analysis of a large number of strains in a short time, permits rapid identification of hydrocarbon metabolizing species when compared with LMW RNA profiles of reference strains.