Step 1: Understanding the methods.
Nucleic acid hybridization, Southern blotting, and 16s rRNA sequencing are all molecular biology techniques that are widely used for the identification and classification of microorganisms. These methods detect specific DNA or RNA sequences, which are essential for identifying microbial species.
Step 2: Analyzing the options.
- (A) Correct, nucleic acid hybridization is used to identify specific sequences in microbial DNA.
- (B) Correct, Southern blotting is a technique used to detect specific DNA sequences in a sample.
- (C) Correct, 16s rRNA sequencing is a common method for identifying and classifying bacteria based on their rRNA sequences.
- (D) Incorrect, the percentage G-C content is a measure of the base composition of DNA but is not typically used for microbial identification.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct methods for microbial identification are nucleic acid hybridization, Southern blotting, and 16s rRNA sequencing.