Title: Use of Bifidobacterium dentium as an indicator of the origin of fecal water pollution. 
Resource Type: document --> technical publication --> journal article 
Country: EU Projects 
Year: 2003 
Availability: Nebra, Y., Bonjoch, X. and Blanch, A.R. 2003. Use of Bifidobacterium dentium as an indicator of the origin of fecal water pollution. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69(5); 2651-2656 http://www.ub.edu/microbiologia/TOFPSW.htm 
Author 1/Producer: Nebra, Y. 
Other Authors/Producers: Bonjoch, X. and Blanch, A.R. 
Author / Producer Type: EC Project 
Article Weblink (=direct link): http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/69/5/2651  
EUGRIS Keyword(s): Contaminated land-->Risk management-->Monitoring and aftercare
 
Short description: 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. 
Link to Project(s): TOFPSW Tracking the origin of faecal pollution in surface water
 
Submitted By: Dr Stefan Gödeke WhoDoesWhat?      Last update: 14/02/2006

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