|
| Method | Description |
|
| Culture methods | Can detect up to 104-105 species selectively and 103 species nonselectively, does not detect nonviable species, and takes approx. 1–3 weeks |
| Selective |
| Nonselective |
| Immunological methods | |
| Particle concentration fluorescence immunoassay | Can detect up to 104 species, detects nonviable species, and takes approx. minutes to hours |
| DNA probe | Detects up to 102 species, detects nonviable species, and takes approx. 1–48 hours |
| Enzyme assay | |
| Benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-naphthylamide (BANA) | Detects 104 species, does not detect nonviable species, and takes approx. 15 minutes |
| Polymerase chain reaction | |
| Single target PCR | Detects specific species directly from oral clinical samples |
| Multiplex PCR | Expansion of single target PCR, detects multiple species simultaneously and detects up to 10–100 cells per PCR |
| Real-time PCR | Detects and quantifies multiple species |
| DNA-DNA hybridization | |
| Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) | Quantify and determine special configuration and demonstrate the morphology of individual bacterial cell in complex natural communities |
| Checkerboard hybridization | Hybridization of 45 DNA samples against 30 DNA probes on a single support membrane |
| Reverse-capture checkerboard hybridization | 16S ribosomal RNA based oligonucleotide checkerboard hybridization |
| Oligonucleotide microarray technology | A high sample-throughput, 16S ribosomal RNA-based technology allows the simultaneous detection of about 300 key and predominant bacterial species, including species that have not yet been cultured |
| Sequencing methods | |
| 454 pyrosequencing | DNA is fragmented and amplified using special adaptors in an emulsion |
| SOLiD | PCR that binds to an agarose bead. Fragmented DNA is amplified on an agarose bead |
| Illumina/Solexa methodology | Utilises fragmented DNA and specialized adaptors attached to a slide |
|
