One primer pair amplifies small subunit ribosomal DNA from mitochondria, plastids and bacteria

A piar of PCR primers, directed towards conversed regions of small ribosomal subunit RNA (SSU rRNA) genes, was used to ampliffy segments of animal and plant mtDNA, chloroplast DNA andd bacterial DNA by PCR. PCR products of animal, plant and bacterial DNA differ in lenght, anabling separation for an 'individual' sequence analysis. Using this technique, it was fiunf that preparations of the wall muscle and of mitochondria ffrom 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 restriccted, it offers new oppurtunities for phylogenetic and population research.