Comparison of DNA pyrosequencing with alternative methods for identification of mycobacteria

Identification of mycobacterial clinical isolates by pyrosequencing within the hypervariable A region of the 16S rRNA gene was compared to other identification methods. For > 90% of isolates, these identifications correlated to the level of complex or species. For identification of many mycobacteria, pyrosequencing offers an inexpensive alternative to traditional sequencing.