Dr.John Doe,a research microbiologist for a university medical center,has been accused of sending Bacillus anthracis,the causative agent of anthrax,through the mail to the President.You,as a public health official with the CDC,have to determine if it is the same strain as the two strains of B. anthracis found cultured in his lab.Which method of identification would you use to compare these three bacterial samples?

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Pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is a technique that separates large DNA molecules based on their sizes using an electric field. PFGE is a highly discriminative technique that can identify small genetic differences among strains of the same bacterial species, and is ideal for comparing strains suspected to be closely related. Therefore, PFGE is the best choice for identifying if the strain of B. anthracis sent in the mail is the same as those cultured in Dr. Doe's lab.

DrJohn Doe,a Research Microbiologist for a University Medical Center,has Been