Synthetic oligonucleotide probes complementary to rRNA for group- and species-specific detection of mycoplasmas.

A variety of genetic probes has been used for the detection of pathogenic bacteria. Here we present a straightforward approach for the development of group- and species-specific oligonucleotide probes complementary to mycoplasmal rRNA. These probes are useful not only for the identification of mycoplasmas in clinical specimens, but also for the detection of Mollicutes in contaminated cell cultures. Radiolabeled rDNA probes detected less than 1 x 10(3) organisms in an RNA-DNA hybridization procedure.