Restriction endonuclease analysis and plasmid profiling of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 7 strains.

Seventeen serotype 7 Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strains isolated in New Zealand and A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1-12 reference strains were typed by restriction endonuclease analysis of chromosomal DNA and plasmid profiling. All serotype 7 strains produced similar DNA cleavage patterns and were significantly different to other reference serotype strains. Minor differences in the cleavage patterns enabled the 17 serotype 7 strains to be grouped into seven profiles. Plasmids were identified in all but three strains but the banding patterns did not account for the differences in the chromosomal profiles. The study showed that restriction endonuclease analysis and plasmid profiling are useful in epidemiological studies of porcine pleuropneumonia.