Specific and Sensitive Detection of Ralstonia solanacearum in Soil on the Basis of PCR Amplification of fliC Fragments

Ralstonia solanacearum is the causative agent of bacterial wilt in many important crops. A specific and sensitive PCR detection method that uses primers targeting the gene coding for the flagella subunit, fliC, was established. Based on the first fliC gene sequence of R. solanacearum strain K60 available at GenBank, the Ral_fliC PCR primer system was designed; this system yielded a single 724-bp product with the DNAs of all of the R. solanacearum strains tested. However, R. pickettii and four environmental Ralstonia isolates also yielded amplicons. The Ral_fliC PCR products obtained with 12 strains (R. solanacearum, R. pickettii, and environmental isolates) were sequenced. By sequence alignment, Rsol_fliC primers specific for R. solanacearum were designed. With this primer system, a specific 400-bp PCR product was obtained from all 82 strains of R. solanacearum tested. Six strains of R. pickettii and several closely related environmental isolates yielded no PCR product; however, a product was obtained with one Pseudomonas syzygii strain. A GC-clamped 400-bp fliC product could be separated in denaturing gradient gels and allowed us to distinguish P. syzygii from R. solanacearum. The Rsol_fliC PCR system was applied to detect R. solanacearum in soil. PCR amplification, followed by Southern blot hybridization, allowed us to detect about one target DNA molecule per PCR, which is equivalent to 10³ CFU g of bulk soil⁻¹. The system was applied to survey soils from different geographic origins for the presence of R. solanacearum.     

PCR-based specific detection of Ralstonia solanacearum by amplification of cytochrome c1 signal peptide sequences

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method was developed to detect the DNA of Ralstonia solanacearum, the causal agent of bacterial wilt in various crop plants. One pair of primers (RALSF and RALSR), designed using cytochrome c1 signal peptide sequences specific to R. solanacearum, produced a PCR product of 932 bp from 13 isolates of R. solanacearum from several countries. The primer specificity was then tested using DNA from 21 isolates of Ralstonia, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Xanthomonas, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. dianthi. The specificity of the cytochrome c1 signal peptide sequences in R. solanacearum was further confirmed by a DNA-dot blot analysis. Moreover, the primer pair was able to detect the pathogen in artificially inoculated soil and tomato plants. Therefore, the present results indicate that the primer pair can be effectively used for the detection of R. solanacearum in soil and host plants.     

Ralstonia syzygii, the Blood Disease Bacterium and some Asian R. solanacearum strains form a single genomic species despite divergent lifestyles

The Ralstonia solanacearum species complex includes R. solanacearum, R. syzygii, and the Blood Disease Bacterium (BDB). All colonize plant xylem vessels and cause wilt diseases, but with significant biological differences. R. solanacearum is a soilborne bacterium that infects the roots of a broad range of plants. R. syzygii causes Sumatra disease of clove trees and is actively transmitted by cercopoid insects. BDB is also pathogenic to a single host, banana, and is transmitted by pollinating insects. Sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization studies indicated that despite their phenotypic differences, these three plant pathogens are actually very closely related, falling into the Phylotype IV subgroup of the R. solanacearum species complex. To better understand the relationships among these bacteria, we sequenced and annotated the genomes of R. syzygii strain R24 and BDB strain R229. These genomes were compared to strain PSI07, a closely related Phylotype IV tomato isolate of R. solanacearum, and to five additional R. solanacearum genomes. Whole-genome comparisons confirmed previous phylogenetic results: the three phylotype IV strains share more and larger syntenic regions with each other than with other R. solanacearum strains. Furthermore, the genetic distances between strains, assessed by an in-silico equivalent of DNA-DNA hybridization, unambiguously showed that phylotype IV strains of BDB, R. syzygii and R. solanacearum form one genomic species. Based on these comprehensive data we propose a revision of the taxonomy of the R. solanacearum species complex. The BDB and R. syzygii genomes encoded no obvious unique metabolic capacities and contained no evidence of horizontal gene transfer from bacteria occupying similar niches. Genes specific to R. syzygii and BDB were almost all of unknown function or extrachromosomal origin. Thus, the pathogenic life-styles of these organisms are more probably due to ecological adaptation and genomic convergence during vertical evolution than to the acquisition of DNA by horizontal transfer.     

Isolation of a Pseudomonas solanacearum-specific DNA probe by subtraction hybridization and construction of species-specific oligonucleotide primers for sensitive detection by the polymerase chain reaction.

A subtraction hybridization technique was employed to make a library enriched for Pseudomonas solanacearum-specific sequences. One cloned fragment, PS2096, hybridized under stringent conditions to DNA of 82 P. solanacearum strains representing all subgroups of the species. Other plant-associated bacteria, including closely related species such as Pseudomonas capacia, Pseudomonas picketti, or Pseudomonas syzygii, did not hybridize to PS2096. A minimum number of between 4 x 10(5) and 4 x 10(6) P. solanacearum cells could routinely be detected with PS2096 labelled either with [32P]dCTP or with digoxigenin-11-dUTP. To improve the sensitivity of detection, PS2096 was sequenced to allow the construction of specific oligonucleotide primers to be used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. After 50 cycles of amplification, 5 to 116 cells, depending on the strain, could reproducibly be detected by visualization of a 148-bp PCR product on an agarose gel. A preliminary field trial in Burundi with the probe and PCR primers has confirmed that they are sensitive tools for specifically detecting low-level infections of P. solanacearum in potato tubers.     

A new and sensitive Co-operational polymerase chain reaction for rapid detection of Ralstonia solanacearum in water

Three primers from 16S rRNA were successfully assayed simultaneously in one reaction for sensitive detection of Ralstonia solanacearum in watercourses. The protocol is a modification of the Co-operational polymerase chain reaction (Co-PCR), which allows the simultaneous and co-operational action of the primers. It specifically amplified R. solanacearum strains belonging to biovars 1, 2 and 4. No products were obtained from any of the 162 unidentified isolates from river water. The sensitivity of the assay was <1 cfu/ml as determined by analysis of heat-treated water samples spiked with R. solanacearum, also containing indigenous microbiota up to 10(5) cfu/ml. The developed Co-PCR assay was more sensitive than other standard PCR assays in the analysis of 51 Spanish environmental water samples. Namely 31.3% of the samples were positive using the newly developed assay, whereas 13.7% or less positive samples were found with the other protocols. The Co-PCR improves the detection sensitivity of R. solanacearum and provides an important tool for its routine detection from environmental water samples and for epidemiological studies.     

Detection of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni by PCR using primers based on DNA sequences related to the hrp genes

Efficient control of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni, the causal agent of bacterial spot on stone fruit, requires a sensitive and reliable diagnostic tool. A PCR detection method that utilizes primers to target the hrp gene cluster region was developed in this study. The nucleotide sequence of the PCR product amplified with primers specific for the hrp region of the xanthomonads and genomic DNA of X. arboricola pv. pruni was determined, and the sequence was aligned with that of X. campestris pv. campestris, which was obtained from the GenBank database. On the basis of the sequence of the amplified hrp region, a PCR primer set of XapF/R specific to X. arboricola pv. pruni was designed. This primer set yielded a 243-bp product from the genomic DNA of X. aboricola pv. pruni strains, but no products from other 21 strains of Xanthomonas or from two epiphytic bacterial species. Southern blot hybridization with the probe derived from the PCR product with the primer set and X. aboricola pv. pruni DNA confirmed the PCR results. The Xap primer system was successfully applied to detect the pathogen from infected peach fruits. When it was applied in field samples, the primer set was proved as a reliable diagnostic tool for specific detection of X. aboricola pv. pruni from peach orchards.     

Isolation of a Pseudomonas solanacearum-specific DNA probe by subtraction hybridization and construction of species-specific oligonucleotide primers for sensitive detection by the polymerase chain reaction.

A subtraction hybridization technique was employed to make a library enriched for Pseudomonas solanacearum-specific sequences. One cloned fragment, PS2096, hybridized under stringent conditions to DNA of 82 P. solanacearum strains representing all subgroups of the species. Other plant-associated bacteria, including closely related species such as Pseudomonas capacia, Pseudomonas picketti, or Pseudomonas syzygii, did not hybridize to PS2096. A minimum number of between 4 x 10(5) and 4 x 10(6) P. solanacearum cells could routinely be detected with PS2096 labelled either with [32P]dCTP or with digoxigenin-11-dUTP. To improve the sensitivity of detection, PS2096 was sequenced to allow the construction of specific oligonucleotide primers to be used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. After 50 cycles of amplification, 5 to 116 cells, depending on the strain, could reproducibly be detected by visualization of a 148-bp PCR product on an agarose gel. A preliminary field trial in Burundi with the probe and PCR primers has confirmed that they are sensitive tools for specifically detecting low-level infections of P. solanacearum in potato tubers.     

Isolation of an insertion sequence from Ralstonia solanacearum race 1 and its potential use for strain characterization and detection

A new insertion sequence (IS), IS1405, was isolated and characterized from a Ralstonia solanacearum race 1 strain by the method of insertional inactivation of the sacB gene. Sequence analysis indicated that the IS is closely related to the members of IS5 family, but the extent of nucleotide sequence identity in 5' and 3' noncoding regions between IS1405 and other members of IS5 family is only 23 to 31%. Nucleotide sequences of these regions were used to design specific oligonucleotide primers for detection of race 1 strains by PCR. The PCR amplified a specific DNA fragment for all R. solanacearum race 1 strains tested, and no amplification was observed with some other plant-pathogenic bacteria. Analysis of nucleotide sequences flanking IS1405 and additional five endogenous IS1405s that reside in the chromosome of R. solanacearum race 1 strains indicated that IS1405 prefers a target site of CTAR and has two different insertional orientations with respect to this target site. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern analysis using IS1405 as a probe revealed extensive genetic variation among strains of R. solanacearum race 1 isolated from eight different host plants in Taiwan. The RFLP patterns were then used to subdivide the race 1 strains into two groups and several subgroups, which allowed for tracking different subgroup strains of R. solanacearum through a host plant community. Furthermore, specific insertion sites of IS1405 in certain subgroups were used as a genetic marker to develop subgroup-specific primers for detection of R. solanacearum, and thus, the subgroup strains can be easily identified through a rapid PCR assay rather than RFLP analysis.     

Comparison of bioMérieux API 20NE and Remel RapID NF Plus, identification systems of type strains of Ralstonia pickettii

A : Comparison of two commercial miniaturized rapid systems for the identification of Ralstonia pickettii strains. METHODS AND RESULTS: Varying identification results were encountered using the bioMérieux API NE system and the Remel IDS RapID NF Plus commercial systems for R. pickettii. To compare these two systems, eight strains of R. pickettii were purchased from different commercial culture collections. Additionally, 32 industrial and eight clinical isolates, initially identified using the Vitek Junior (bioMérieux) were tested. Total number of isolates tested was 48. The API 20NE identified 29 isolates, as R. pickettii but was unsuccessful with 19 isolates. The Remel IDS RapID NF Plus identified 46 isolates as R. pickettii. One clinical and one industrial isolates was identified as non-R. pickettii with both systems. CONCLUSIONS: The above results indicate that the use of API 20NE system for examining the identification of R. pickettii strains is inconsistent. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study demonstrated that the RapID NF Plus is more accurate as an inexpensive identification system for the identification of R. pickettii, a potential emerging organism of medically and industrial importance.     

Simultaneous PCR Detection of the Two Major Bacterial Pathogens of Geranium

Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii ( Xcp ) and Ralstonia solanacearum ( Rs ) are the two most important bacterial pathogens of commercially cultivated geraniums ( Pelargonium spp.), both causing bacterial wilt and leaf spot. Asymptomatic infections are important reservoirs of infections in commercial growing facilities. Our objective was to design a multiplex PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) assay to detect infection by either or both of these pathogens. We used a previously characterized PCR primer pair for Xcp that amplifies a region of 200 bp. In addition, we designed a new primer pair specific for Rs that amplifies a region of 822 bp. With these two primer pairs, we could detect either or both pathogens. As geranium tissue extracts frequently contain inhibitors of the PCR process, a negative PCR could result from either an accurate indication that the plant was pathogen-free or from a false negative assay. We therefore designed `amplification competence' primers, targeting a portion of the geranium 18 s rRNA gene, and generating a 494-bp amplification product that confirms amplification competence and validates a negative assay result. Thus, the triple primer pair multiplex PCR screens for the two most important bacterial pathogens of geraniums simultaneously confirms amplification competence for each geranium sample.     

Differential detection of vibrios pathogenic to shrimp by multiplex PCR

The research was focused on the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) differential detection of shrimp pathogens Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio campbellii and isolates from a variant strain of Vibrio (referred to as Philippine Vibrio isolates in this study) exhibiting characteristics distinct from these two species. Sequence alignment of the hemolysin gene from type strains Vibrio harveyi (NBRC 15634) and Vibrio campbellii (NBRC 15631), as well as 10 variant Philippine Vibrio isolates, was performed in order to design a set of hemolysin-targeted primers for the specific detection of the Philippine Vibrio isolates. Primer PNhemo amplified a 320-bp hemolysin gene fragment of the Philippine Vibrio isolates in PCR using 65 degrees C annealing temperature, but did not amplify the target gene fragment in type strains V. harveyi and V. campbellii. Another new primer (VcatoxR) targeting the toxR gene was designed for the specific detection of type strain V. campbellii under stringent 65 degrees C annealing temperature. PCR using VcatoxR primer resulted in the specific amplification of a 245-bp V. campbellii toxR fragment. The simultaneous use of three primer sets in PCR, including PNhemo and VcatoxR (the two new primers designed in this study), and a primer VhtoxR (previously reported for the specific detection of V. harveyi), resulted in differential profiles with 390-bp, 245-bp, and 320-bp amplicons for V. harveyi, V. campbellii, and variant Philippine Vibrio isolates, respectively. Presence of all three types of Vibrio shrimp pathogens in the sample could be detected with a multiplex PCR profile containing all the expected size amplicons.     

Identification of root rot fungi in nursery seedlings by nested multiplex PCR.

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) subunit repeat was sequenced in 12 isolates of Cylindrocladium floridanum and 11 isolates of Cylindrocarpon destructans. Sequences were aligned and compared with ITS sequences of other fungi in GenBank. Some intraspecific variability was present within our collections of C. destructans but not in C. floridanum. Three ITS variants were identified within C. destructans, but there was no apparent association between ITS variants and host or geographic origin. Two internal primers were synthesized for the specific amplification of portions of the ITS for C. floridanum, and two primers were designed to amplify all three variants of C. destructans. The species-specific primers amplified PCR products of the expected length when tested with cultures of C, destructans and C. floridanum from white spruce, black spruce, Norway spruce, red spruce, jack pine, red pine, and black walnut from eight nurseries and three plantations in Quebec. No amplification resulted from PCR reactions on fungal DNA from 26 common contaminants of conifer roots. For amplifications directly from infected tissues, a nested primer PCR using two rounds of amplification was combined with multiplex PCR approach resulting in the amplification of two different species-specific PCR fragments in the same reaction. First, the entire ITS was amplified with one universal primer and a second primer specific to fungi; a second round of amplification was carried out with species-specific primers that amplified a 400-bp PCR product from C. destructans and a 328-bp product from C. floridanum. The species-specific fragments were amplified directly from infected roots from which one or the two fungi had been isolated.     

Molecular detection of plant pathogenic bacteria using polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism

The application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to molecular diagnostics holds great promise for the early identification of agriculturally important plant pathogens. Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomoans axonopodis pv. vesicatoria, and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae are phytopathogenic bacteria, which can infect vegetables, cause severe yield loss. PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) is a simple and powerful technique for identifying sequence changes in amplified DNA. The technique of PCR-SSCP is being exploited so far, only to detect and diagnose human bacterial pathogens in addition to plant pathogenic fungi. Selective media and serology are the commonly used methods for the detection of plant pathogens in infected plant materials. In this study, we developed PCR-SSCP technique to identify phytopathogenic bacteria. The PCR product was denatured and separated on a non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel. SSCP banding patterns were detected by silver staining of nucleic acids. We tested over 56 isolates of R. solanacearum, 44 isolates of X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria, and 20 isolates of X. oryzae pv. oryzae. With the use of universal primer 16S rRNA, we could discriminate such species at the genus and species levels. Species-specific patterns were obtained for bacteria R. solanacearum, X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria, and X. oryzae pv. oryzae. The potential use of PCR-SSCP technique for the detection and diagnosis of phytobacterial pathogens is discussed in the present paper.     

Development of specific PCR primers for a rapid and accurate identification of Staphylococcus xylosus, a species used in food fermentation

Twenty-seven Staphylococcus strains isolated from food and food environments were assigned to Staphylococcus xylosus by API-Staph system. But only seven isolates had similar patterns to this species when compared to the pulse-field gel electrophoresis patterns of 12 S. xylosus strains. To perform a rapid identification of the S. xylosus species, a random amplified polymorphic DNA product of 539-bp shared by all of the S. xylosus strains was used to design a pair of primers. These primers were species-specific for S. xylosus when tested by PCR on 21 staphylococci species. This specific PCR assay confirms the identification of the seven isolates identified by PFGE to S. xylosus. In conclusion, we developed specific PCR primers for a rapid and accurate identification of the S. xylosus species.     

荧光假单胞菌Tn5转座诱变及对青枯病生防特性

目的：利用Tn5转座诱变荧光假单胞菌PF20001,研究所获得的突变株对青枯病的生防效果。方法：利用三亲本杂交方式,将带有转座子Tn5的Tn5-102（含luxAB）的质粒pTR102成功地转入PF20001,利用平板相互拮抗法分析突变株对青枯病致病菌的拮抗作用。结果：通过诱导Tn5转座,得到荧光假单胞菌PF20001的Tn5插入突变库。经平板相互拮抗实验发现,菌株PF20001-lux-48拮抗圈明显大于野生型（半径达0.35cm）。用Tn5-lux特异引物进行PCR扩增,结果显示只有以该突变株的DNA为模板才能得到300bp的扩增产物,证实该菌株基因组中有Tn5插入。结论：Tn5的插入使菌株PF20001对青枯病生物防治能力增强。     

Relationship between avirulence gene (avrA) diversity in Ralstonia solanacearum and bacterial wilt incidence

Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is a serious disease of tobacco in North and South Carolina. In contrast, the disease rarely occurs on tobacco in Georgia and Florida, although bacterial wilt is a common problem on tomato. We investigated whether this difference in disease incidence could be explained by qualitative characteristics of avirulence gene avrA in the R. solanacearum population in the southeastern United States. Sequence analysis established that wild-type avrA has a 792-bp open reading frame. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of avrA from 139 R. solanacearum strains generated either 792-bp or approximately 960-bp DNA fragments. Strains that elicited a hypersensitive reaction (HR) on tobacco contained the 792-bp allele, and were pathogenic on tomato and avirulent on tobacco. All HR-negative strains generated a approximately 960-bp DNA fragment, and wilted both tomato and tobacco. The DNA sequence of avrA in six HR-negative strains revealed the presence of one of two putative miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs): a 152-bp MITE between nucleotides 542 and 543, or a 170-bp MITE between nucleotides 461 and 462 or 574 and 575. Southern analysis suggested that the 170-bp MITE is unique to strains from the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. Mutated avrA alleles were present in strains from 96 and 75% of North and South Carolina sites, respectively, and only in 13 and 0% of the sites in Georgia and Florida, respectively. Introduction of the wildtype allele on a plasmid into four HR-negative strains reduced their virulence on both tobacco and tomato. Inactivation of avrA in an HR-positive, avirulent strain, resulted in a mutant that was weakly virulent on tobacco. Thus, the incidence of bacterial wilt of tobacco in the southeastern United States is partially explained by which avrA allele dominates the local R. solanacearum population.     

Genotypic diversity in a localized population of Ralstonia solanacearum as revealed by random amplified polymorphic DNA markers

AIMS: To assess genotypic diversity within Ralstonia solanacearum isolates of a single field. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 44 field isolates and 22 in vitro generated clones of R. solanacearum were studied for genotypic diversity by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Genomic DNA of these isolates and clones was extracted by proteinase-K-SDS lysis mini-prep method. RAPD analysis was done with 30 decamer primers. The data were analysed using NTSYSpc 2.02h software. Forty-two out of 44 field isolates and all the clonal isolates were identified as distinct genotypes at 70% similarity level. CONCLUSION: Very high level of genome variability was observed within the field and clonal isolates of R. solanacearum. This might be a reason for the wide host range of this bacterium and for quick breakdown of wilt resistance in host plants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results suggest that it would be difficult to design specific diagnostic protocol for R. solanacearum even for a localized population and to breed cultivars with broad-spectrum resistance.     

Detection,Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Indian Ralstonia solanacearum Isolates by Comparison of Partial hrpB Gene Sequences

A species‐specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (sPCR) method was developed to identify and detect isolates of Ralstonia solanacearum, the cause of bacterial wilt disease in chilli. PCR primers for R. solanacearum were identified by alignment of hrpB gene sequences and selection of sequences specific for R. solanacearum at their 3′ ends. The primers were shown to be specific for R. solanacearum, as no PCR product was obtained when genomic DNA from other bacterial species including closely related Ralstonia species, were used as test species. Lone pair of primers (RshrpBF and RshrpBR) was designed using hrpB gene sequence, unique to R. solanacearum which amplified a predicted PCR product of 810 bp from 20 different isolates. Phylogenetic analysis was also attempted to understand the evolutionary divergence of Indian R. solanacearum isolates. Based on phylogenetic analysis, Indian isolates showed homology with the standard reference isolates from other countries but, interestingly, one new isolate showed complete evolutionary divergence by forming an out‐group.     

Development of specific PCR primers for the detection of Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 LP from the leaf sheaths exhibiting large-patch symptom on zoysia grass

Detection of Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2 LP isolates causing large-patch disease on zoysia grass was done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Specific primers were designed based on an amplified region using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. Fifteen primers and three cultural types of R. solani AG 2-2 (types IIIB, IV and LP) were used for RAPD-PCR. The banding patterns by RAPD-PCR showed that the three cultural types were clearly distinguishable. A dendrogram constructed from the results of RAPD-PCR showed that the three cultural types of AG 2-2 clustered separately. The sequence of one PCR-amplified region which appeared only in LP isolates using primer A09 was selected for designing specific primers. Primer pair A091-F/R gave a single product from pure fungal DNA of LP isolates but not from those of the other two types (IIIB and IV), R. solani AG 1, 2-1, 2-3, 2-tulip, 3-10 and BI isolates and other turfgrass fungal pathogens. Primer pair A091-F/R also gave a single product from diseased leaf sheaths and this product was in accordance with those of pure fungal DNA of LP isolates. Primer pair A091-F/R did not yield PCR product from healthy leaf sheaths. The frequencies of detection of LP isolates from leaf sheaths of zoysia grass using PCR with primer pair A091-F/R were higher than those of the conventional isolation technique. These results showed that the PCR-based technique using specific primers A091-F/R is useful for the rapid detection of LP isolates from leaf sheaths of zoysia grass exhibiting large-patch symptoms.     

Sequence analysis of partial toxR gene from Philippine Vibrio isolates and design of toxR-targeted primers for detection

Vibriosis in penaeid species cultured in the Philippines results in massive mortalities and consequently in severe economic losses in the shrimp industry. Rapid and accurate detection of the causative agent of the disease is imperative. In this study, toxR gene sequence analysis of ten Vibrio isolates (from several provinces of the Philippines) implicated in disease affecting the penaeid shrimp (Penaeus monodon) was performed in order to develop a toxR-targeted PCR detection of similar strains of shrimp pathogens. Analysis of the partial toxR gene revealed 97-100% sequence similarity among the ten Philippine Vibrio isolates. Distinct sequence variation of the toxR gene, however, was observed between the Philippine Vibrio isolates and the type strains, with the Philippine isolates exhibiting only 92-93% and 74-75% sequence similarity with the type strain V. campbellii (NBRC 15631T) and V. harveyi (NBRC 15634T), respectively. The use of a PCR primer set that was designed based on toxR sequences of the Philippine Vibrio isolates amplified the expected 226-bp toxR fragment using templates from all ten Philippine Vibrio isolates. No amplified product was observed in PCR using templates from type strains of V. harveyi, V. campbellii, and other non-target bacteria, suggesting that the primers were specific for the Philippine Vibrio isolates. The toxR-targeted PCR primers reported in this study could be useful in the detection of Philippine Vibrio isolates associated with mortalities in the shrimp industry, which could not be detected in PCR using primers designed for type strains of V. harveyi and V. campbellii.