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Diversity among bacteria isolated from the deep subsurface

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Journal of Industrial Microbiology

Abstract

Culturable bacteria from the deep subsurface (179 m) at Cerro Negro, New Mexico were isolated and characterized. The average number of viable aerobic bacteria was estimated to be 5×105g−1 of sediment, but only about 0.1% of these could be recovered on agar medium when incubated under aerobic conditions. Of 158 strains isolated from this depth, 92 were characterized by cellular fatty acid profiles (FAME), 36 by analysis of partial 16S rDNA sequences, and 44 by rep-PCR genome fingerprint analysis using three different sets of oligonucleotide primers (REP, BOX, or ERIC). These analyses showed the majority of isolates (67%) were Gram-positive bacteria and primarily members of genera with a high %G+C DNA. The remaining isolates were α-subdivisionProteobacteria (19%) and members of the flavobacteria group (14%). The diversity indices based on these different methods of characterization were very high suggesting this subsurface habitat harbors a highly diverse microbial community.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Microbial Ecology, 540 Plant and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA

    IV Zlatkin, M Schneider, FJ de Bruijn & LJ Forney PhD

  2. Department of Microbiology, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA

    IV Zlatkin, FJ de Bruijn & LJ Forney PhD

  3. DOE-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA

    M Schneider & FJ de Bruijn

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  1. IV Zlatkin
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Zlatkin, I., Schneider, M., de Bruijn, F. et al. Diversity among bacteria isolated from the deep subsurface. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology 17, 219–227 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01574696

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01574696

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