Lack of polymorphism within the rRNA operons of group A streptococci

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotyping of many bacterial species has shown that polymorphism of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) operons, within and between strains, is common. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the rRNA operons of thirty-two genetically and geographically distinct strains of group A streptococci (GAS) revealed that there are only two major HaeIII PCR-ribotypes. This variation is due to a single nucleotide change within the 16S–23S intergenic spacer regions of these operons. As in many other bacterial species, this spacer region in streptococci also contains the gene for tRNA^ala. Within each GAS isolate, hybridization results are consistent with the presence of six rRNA operons. Interestingly, for a given strain, irrespective of its origin, all six rRNA operons have the same RFLP pattern. This contrasts with the findings in many other bacterial species, where heterogeneity of the rRNA operons within a genome is a common feature. This lack of heterogeneity of rRNA operons in an organism that is known to acquire genetic sequences through horizontal transfer is intriguing. Received: 22 November 1996 / Accepted: 30 January 1997