Table 1. Primers Based on the 16S rDNA Sequences ^a,b,c,d.

Target Bacteria	Prime	Sequence (5′ to 3′)
Total Bacteria	BA-GC-338f ,UN518r	ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGATT ACC GCG GCTGCT GG
Lactobacillus	Lac1, Lac2-GC	AGCAGTAGGGAATCTTCCAATTTCACCGCTACACATG
Bifidobacterium	Bif164-GC-f, Bif662-r	GGGTGGTAATGCCGGATGCCACCGTTACACCGGGAA
GC d		CGCCCGCCGCGCGCGGCGGGCGGGGCGGGGGCACGGGGGG

^aThe reaction of total bacteria was performed using the following conditions: 92°C for 2 minutes and 30 cycles of 92°C for 1 minute, 55°C for 30 seconds and 72°C for 1 minute, and a final extension at 6°C for 72 minutes.

^bThe reaction was performed using the following conditions: 94°C for 2 minutes and 35 cycles of 94°C for 30 seconds, 61°C for 1 minute and 68°C for 1 minute. The reaction was terminated with an extension step of 7 minutes at 68°C.

^cThe reaction was performed using the following conditions: 95°C for 5 minutes and 35 cycles of 95°C for 1 minute, 62°C for 20 seconds and 68°C for 40seconds final extension at 6°C for 7 minutes.

^dAll GC primers contained a 40 bp GC-clamp sequence at their 5′ end to prevent the complete denaturation of the amplicons.