Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis for Dairy [i]Propionibacteria[/i]
Résumé
Pulsed fi eld gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is a technique using alternating electric fi elds to migrate high
molecular weight DNA fragments with a high resolution. This method consists of the digestion of bacterial
chromosomal DNA with rare-cutting restriction enzymes and in applying an alternating electrical current
between spatially distinct pairs of electrodes. DNA molecules migrate at different speeds according to the
size of the fragments. Among other things, this technique is considered as the “gold standard” for genotyping,
genetic fi ngerprinting, epidemiological studies, genome size estimation, and studying radiationinduced
DNA damage and repair. This chapter describes a PFGE method that can be used to differentiate
dairy propionibacteria