Evaluation of PCR-primers for nirK detection
For amplification of nirK, no better alternatives to
the already published primers were found (Table 3;
Fig. 1b). Amplification with most of the combinations
resulted in fragments of the correct size in only about
half of the strains that were tested. However, no PCR
products were found when tested with P. stutzeri ATCC
14405 or the three non-denitrifying strains for any
combination. The best results were obtained with the
primers F1aCu and R3Cu [10] that amplified the correct
fragment in 10 out of 14 strains without extra bands. In
addition, fragments of the correct size were amplified
from all six environmental samples.