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Application of clone library analysis and real-time PCR for comparison of microbial communities in a low-grade copper sulfide ore bioheap leachate

  • Original Paper
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Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

The microbial communities of leachate from a bioleaching heap located in China were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene clone library and real-time quantitative PCR. Both methods showed that Leptospirillum spp. were the dominant bacteria, and Ferroplasma acidiphilum were the only archaea detected in the leachate. Clone library results indicated that nine operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were obtained, which fell into four divisions, the Nitrospirae (74%), the γ-Proteobacteria (14%), the Actinobacteria (6%) and the Euryarchaeota (6%). The results obtained by real-time PCR in some ways were the same as clone library analysis. Furthermore, Sulfobacillus spp., detected only by real-time PCR, suggests that real-time PCR was a reliable technology to study the microbial communities in bioleaching environments. It is a useful tool to assist clone library analysis, to further understand microbial consortia and to have comprehensive and exact microbiological information about bioleaching environments. Finally, the interactions among the microorganisms detected in the leachate were summarized according to the characteristics of these species.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (no. 2004CB619205).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Engineering Laboratory of Biohydrometallurgy, General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, No. 2 Xinjiekouwai Street, 100088, Beijing, China

    Chen Bowei, Liu Xingyu, Liu Wenyan & Wen Jiankang

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  1. Chen Bowei
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  2. Liu Xingyu
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  3. Liu Wenyan
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  4. Wen Jiankang
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Correspondence to Chen Bowei.

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Bowei, C., Xingyu, L., Wenyan, L. et al. Application of clone library analysis and real-time PCR for comparison of microbial communities in a low-grade copper sulfide ore bioheap leachate. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 36, 1409–1416 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-009-0627-7

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