One Primer Pair Amplifies Small Subunit Ribosomal DNA from Mitochondria, Plastids and Bacteria

Abstract

A pair of PCR primers, directed towards conserved regions of small ribosomal subunit RNA (SSU rRNA) genes, was used to amplify segments of animal and plant mtDNA, chloroplast DNA and bacterial DNA by PCR. PCR products of animal, plant and bacterial DNA differ in length, enabling separation for an “individual” sequence analysis. Using this technique, it was found that preparations of the body wall muscle and of mitochondria from the lugworm Arenicola marina used for physiological studies contain significant amounts of bacterial DNA. Since the use of these primers seems not to be taxonomically restricted, it offers new opportunities for phylogenetic and population research.