scholarly journals Diversity and Seasonal Changes of Uncultured Planctomycetales in River Biofilms

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (9) ◽  
pp. 5094-5101 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. H. M. Brümmer ◽  
A. D. M. Felske ◽  
I. Wagner-Döbler
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Elbe River ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
River Biofilm ◽  
The Elbe River

ABSTRACT Cell counts of planctomycetes showed that there were high levels of these organisms in the summer and low levels in the winter in biofilms grown in situ in two polluted rivers, the Elbe River and the Spittelwasser River. In this study 16S rRNA-based methods were used to investigate if these changes were correlated with changes in the species composition. Planctomycete-specific clone libraries of the 16S rRNA genes found in both rivers showed that there were seven clusters, which were distantly related to the genera Pirellula, Planctomyces, and Gemmata. The majority of the sequences from the Spittelwasser River were affiliated with a cluster related to Pirellula, while the majority of the clones from the Elbe River fell into three clusters related to Planctomyces and one deeply branching cluster related to Pirellula. Some clusters also contained sequences derived from freshwater environments worldwide, and the similarities to our biofilm clones were as high as 99.8%, indicating the presence of globally distributed freshwater clusters of planctomycetes that have not been cultivated yet. Community fingerprints of planctomycete 16S rRNA genes were generated by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis from Elbe River biofilm samples collected monthly for 1 year. Sixteen bands were identified, and for the most part these bands represented organisms related to the genus Planctomyces. The fingerprints showed that there was strong seasonality of most bands and that there were clear differences in the summer and the winter. Thus, seasonal changes in the abundance of Planctomycetales in river biofilms were coupled to shifts in the community composition.

scholarly journals Diversity and Seasonal Variability of β-Proteobacteria in Biofilms of Polluted Rivers: Analysis by Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis and Cloning

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 4463-4473 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. H. M. Brümmer ◽  
A. Felske ◽  
I. Wagner-Döbler
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Seasonal Variability ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
High Temporal Resolution ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
River Biofilm

ABSTRACT The β-subgroup of the Proteobacteria has been shown to be important in aquatic habitats and was investigated in depth here by molecular 16S rRNA techniques in biofilms of the Elbe River and its polluted tributary, the Spittelwasser River. The bacterial 16S rRNA genes were cloned from each site, screened for β-proteobacterial clones and sequenced. River biofilm clones from both rivers grouped into 9 clusters (RBFs). RBFs 1, 2, and 3 fell into the recently described βI cluster of cosmopolitan freshwater bacteria, where they represented new species related to Rhodoferax, Aquaspirillum, and Hydrogenophaga. RBFs 4 to 7 affiliated with Aquabacterium commune, Ideonella dechloratans, and Sphaerotilus natans, respectively. The two remaining RBFs were uncultivated clusters, one of them being distantly related to Gallionella ferruginea. Seasonal changes in the relative intensity of the β-proteobacterial 16S rRNA genes of biofilms harvested monthly for 1 year were determined by specific amplification and separation by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). Bands were identified by comparison of clones to community fingerprints by TGGE. Eight of 13 identified bands were shared by both habitats but showed different relative abundance and seasonal variability in the two rivers, probably caused by differences in temperature and pollutants. The data indicate new not-yet-cultivated clusters of river biofilm organisms, some of them probably distributed globally. They confirm the importance of certain known freshwater genera in river biofilms. The high phylogenetic resolution obtained by clone library analysis combined with the high temporal resolution obtained by TGGE suggest that the observed microdiversity in the river biofilm clone libraries might be caused by phylogenetically closely related microbial populations which are adapted to ecological parameters.

Polynucleotide Probes That Target a Hypervariable Region of 16S rRNA Genes To Identify Bacterial Isolates Corresponding to Bands of Community Fingerprints

1999 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 1045-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holger Heuer ◽  
Kathrin Hartung ◽  
Gabriele Wieland ◽  
Ina Kramer ◽  
Kornelia Smalla
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
16S Rdna ◽  
Hypervariable Region ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Bacterial Isolates ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Exonuclease Digestion ◽  
Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

ABSTRACT Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) is well suited for fingerprinting bacterial communities by separating PCR-amplified fragments of 16S rRNA genes (16S ribosomal DNA [rDNA]). A strategy was developed and was generally applicable for linking 16S rDNA from community fingerprints to pure culture isolates from the same habitat. For this, digoxigenin-labeled polynucleotide probes were generated by PCR, using bands excised from TGGE community fingerprints as a template, and applied in hybridizations with dot blotted 16S rDNA amplified from bacterial isolates. Within 16S rDNA, the hypervariable V6 region, corresponding to positions 984 to 1047 (Escherichia coli 16S rDNA sequence), which is a subset of the region used for TGGE (positions 968 to 1401), best met the criteria of high phylogenetic variability, required for sufficient probe specificity, and closely flanking conserved priming sites for amplification. Removal of flanking conserved bases was necessary to enable the differentiation of closely related species. This was achieved by 5′ exonuclease digestion, terminated by phosphorothioate bonds which were synthesized into the primers. The remaining complementary strand was removed by single-strand-specific digestion. Standard hybridization with truncated probes allowed differentiation of bacteria which differed by only two bases within the probe target site and 1.2% within the complete 16S rDNA. However, a truncated probe, derived from an excised TGGE band of a rhizosphere community, hybridized with three phylogenetically related isolates with identical V6 sequences. Only one of the isolates comigrated with the excised band in TGGE, which was shown to be due to identical sequences, demonstrating the utility of a combined TGGE and V6 probe approach.

scholarly journals Mycobacterium Diversity and Pyrene Mineralization in Petroleum-Contaminated Soils

2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 2222-2229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pui-Yi Cheung ◽  
Brian K. Kinkle
Keyword(s):  
Contaminated Soils ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Microtox Assay ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

ABSTRACT Degradative strains of fast-growing Mycobacteriumspp. are commonly isolated from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soils. Little is known, however, about the ecology and diversity of indigenous populations of these fast-growing mycobacteria in contaminated environments. In the present study 16S rRNA genes were PCR amplified usingMycobacterium-specific primers and separated by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), and prominent bands were sequenced to compare the indigenous Mycobacteriumcommunity structures in four pairs of soil samples taken from heavily contaminated and less contaminated areas at four different sites. Overall, TGGE profiles obtained from heavily contaminated soils were less diverse than those from less contaminated soils. This decrease in diversity may be due to toxicity, since significantly fewerMycobacterium phylotypes were detected in soils determined to be toxic by the Microtox assay than in nontoxic soils. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of prominent TGGE bands indicated that novel strains dominated the soil Mycobacteriumcommunity. Mineralization studies using [14C]pyrene added to four petroleum-contaminated soils, with and without the addition of the known pyrene degrader Mycobacterium sp. strain RJGII-135, indicated that inoculation increased the level of degradation in three of the four soils. Mineralization results obtained from a sterilized soil inoculated with strain RJGII-135 suggested that competition with indigenous microorganisms may be a significant factor affecting biodegradation of PAHs. Pyrene-amended soils, with and without inoculation with strain RJGII-135, experienced both increases and decreases in the population sizes of the inoculated strain and indigenous Mycobacterium populations during incubation.

Genetic Diversity of the Biofilm CoveringMontacuta ferruginosa (Mollusca, Bivalvia) as Evaluated by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Analysis and Cloning of PCR-Amplified Gene Fragments Coding for 16S rRNA†

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 3464-3472 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Gillan ◽  
Arjen G. C. L. Speksnijder ◽  
Gabriel Zwart ◽  
Chantal De Ridder
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Dna Extraction ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Biofilm Bacteria ◽  
Sequence Types

The shell of the bivalve Montacuta ferruginosa, a symbiont living in the burrow of an echinoid, is covered with a rust-colored biofilm. This biofilm includes different morphotypes of bacteria that are encrusted with a mineral rich in ferric ion and phosphate. The aim of this research was to determine the genetic diversity and phylogenetic affiliation of the biofilm bacteria. Also, the possible roles of the microorganisms in the processes of mineral deposition within the biofilm, as well as their impact on the biology of the bivalve, were assessed by phenotypic inference. The genetic diversity was determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of short (193-bp) 16S ribosomal DNA PCR products obtained with primers specific for the domain Bacteria. This analysis revealed a diverse consortium; 11 to 25 sequence types were detected depending on the method of DNA extraction used. Individual biofilms analyzed by using the same DNA extraction protocol did not produce identical DGGE profiles. However, different biofilms shared common bands, suggesting that similar bacteria can be found in different biofilms. The phylogenetic affiliations of the sequence types were determined by cloning and sequencing the 16S rRNA genes. Close relatives of the genera Pseudoalteromonas,Colwellia, and Oceanospirillum (members of the γ-Proteobacteria lineage), as well as Flexibacter maritimus (a member of theCytophaga-Flavobacter-Bacteroides lineage), were found in the biofilms. We inferred from the results that some of the biofilm bacteria could play a role in the mineral formation processes.

scholarly journals Suicide Polymerase Endonuclease Restriction, a Novel Technique for Enhancing PCR Amplification of Minor DNA Templates

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 4721-4727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan J. Green ◽  
Dror Minz
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Dna Templates ◽  
Target Dna ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Pcr Method

ABSTRACT PCR-based molecular analyses can be hindered by the presence of unwanted or dominant DNA templates that reduce or eliminate detection of alternate templates. We describe here a reaction in which such templates can be exclusively digested by endonuclease restriction, leaving all other DNAs unmodified. After such a modification, the digested template is no longer available for PCR amplification, while nontarget DNAs remain intact and can be amplified. We demonstrate the application of this method and use denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to ascertain the removal of target DNA templates and the subsequent enhanced amplification of nondigested DNAs. Specifically, plastid 16S rRNA genes were exclusively digested from environmental DNA extracted from plant roots. In addition, pure culture and environmental DNA extracts were spiked with various amounts of genomic DNA extracted from Streptomyces spp., and selective restriction of the Streptomyces 16S rRNA genes via the suicide polymerase endonuclease restriction PCR method was employed to remove the amended DNA.

scholarly journals Bacterial Populations Colonizing and Degrading Rice Straw in Anoxic Paddy Soil

2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 1318-1327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Weber ◽  
Stephan Stubner ◽  
Ralf Conrad
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Community ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Rice Straw ◽  
Paddy Soil ◽  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Blot Hybridization ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Dot Blot ◽  
Cell Counts

ABSTRACT Rice straw is a major substrate for the production of methane, a greenhouse gas, in flooded rice fields. The bacterial community degrading rice straw under anoxic conditions was investigated with molecular methods. Rice straw was incubated in paddy soil anaerobically for 71 days. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the amplified bacterial 16S rRNA genes showed that the composition of the bacterial community changed during the first 15 days but then was stable until the end of incubation. Fifteen DGGE bands with different signal intensities were excised, cloned, and sequenced. In addition, DNA was extracted from straw incubated for 1 and 29 days and the bacterial 16S rRNA genes were amplified and cloned. From these clone libraries 16 clones with different electrophoretic mobilities on a DGGE gel were sequenced. From a total of 31 clones, 20 belonged to different phylogenetic clusters of the clostridia, i.e., clostridial clusters I (14 clones), III (1 clone), IV (1 clone), and XIVa (4 clones). One clone fell also within the clostridia but could not be affiliated to one of the clostridial clusters. Ten clones grouped closely with the genera Bacillus (3 clones), Nitrosospira (1 clone), Fluoribacter (1 clones), andAcidobacterium (2 clones) and with clone sequences previously obtained from rice field soil (3 clones). The relative abundances of various phylogenetic groups in the rice straw-colonizing community were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Bacteria were detached from the incubated rice straw with an efficiency of about 80 to 90%, as determined by dot blot hybridization of 16S rRNA in extract and residue. The number of active (i.e., a sufficient number of ribosomes) Bacteria detected with a general eubacterial probe (Eub338) after 8 days of incubation was 61% of the total cell counts. This percentage decreased to 17% after 29 days of incubation. Most (55%) of the active cells on day 8 belonged to the genus Clostridium, mainly to clostridial clusters I (24%), III (6%), and XIVa (24%). An additional 5% belonged to theCytophaga-Flavobacterium cluster of theCytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides phylum, 4% belonged to the α, β, and γ Proteobacteria, and 1.3% belonged to the Bacillus subbranch of the gram-positive bacteria with a low G+C content. The results show that the bacterial community colonizing and decomposing rice straw developed during the first 15 days of incubation and was dominated by members of different clostridial clusters, especially clusters I, III, and XIVa.

Analyses of microbial activity in biomass-recycle reactors using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rDNA and 16S rRNA PCR products

2002 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A Morgan ◽  
Andre Hudson ◽  
Allan Konopka ◽  
Cindy H Nakatsu
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
16S Rdna ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Community Response ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

The relationship between mixed microbial community structure and physiology when grown under substrate-limited conditions was investigated using continuous-flow bioreactors with 100% biomass recycle. Community structure was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the PCR and RT-PCR amplified V3 region of 16S rDNA and 16S rRNA templates, respectively. Comparisons were made of communities exposed to different types of transient conditions (e.g., long- and short-term starvation, increasing nutrients). With progressively more stringent substrate limitation over time, the specific content of community RNA declined by more than 10-fold and closely followed the decline in specific growth rate. In contrast, the DNA content was variable (up to 3-fold differences) and did not follow the same trend. Cluster analysis of the presence or absence of individual bands indicated that the fingerprints generated by the two templates were different, and community response was first observed in the rRNA fraction. However, both the rDNA and rRNA fingerprints provided a picture of temporal population dynamics. Dice similarity coefficients gave a quantitative measure of the differences and changes between the communities. In comparison, standard cultivation techniques yielded only a quarter of the phylotypes detected by DGGE, but included the most dominant population based on rRNA. Nucleotide-sequence analyses of the almost complete 16S rRNA genes of these isolates place them in the same group of organisms that is typically cultivated from environmental samples: α, β, and γ Proteobacteria and the high GC and the low GC Gram-positive divisions.Key words: 16S rRNA, DGGE, community analysis, biomass-recycle reactor.

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