The determination and comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of species of the genus Pseudomonas (sensu stricto) and estimation of the natural intrageneric relationships

As a consolidated effort on the part of several laboratories, partial and nearly complete sequence determinations of 16S rRNA genes have been applied as one of several analytical methods in a polyphasic study of the pseudomonads. Nearly-complete sequences have been determined of the PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes of 21 species of the genus Pseudomonas (sensu stricto), including multiple attains of most species. Phylogenetic branching orders and the natural intrageneric relationships among the species have been infrared through sequence comparisons and cluster analysis and have not shown any obvious recognizable correlation with results derived through standard phenotypic criteria commonly used to group ;he species. This paper also focuses on the ability of 16S rRNA gene sequences, particularly the hypervariable sequence regions, to be used as nested identification markers and as target sites for the development of 16S rRNA sequence-based strategies for the identification of species of the genus Pseudomonas.