Optimization of RAPD for fingerprinting Salmonella

Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) is proving to be a useful technique in stud!ling the epidemiology of microorganisms. The technique can be troublesome and time consuming to establish due to the essentially empirical approach to optimization. By standardization of certain parameters and use of a commercially available PCR buffer optimization kit, a particularly promising primer was identified and RAPD conditions for a highly discriminatory and reproducible characterization of Salmonella isolates was achieved. In addition, a technique to obtain reproducible RAPD fingerprints of Salmonella isolates without the need to purify genomic DNA is described.