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Transcription levels (amoA mRNA-based) and population dominance (amoA gene-based) of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria

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  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

A population shift of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) was described within a bench-scale activated sludge process treating an industrial wastewater in a previous report (Kuo et al. in Environ Eng Sci 23:507–520, 2006). In this investigation, transcriptional levels (amoA mRNA-based) of the three AOB groups (i.e., RI-27, B2-3, and Nitrosomonas nitrosa) identified in the treatment process were determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT-PCR) assays to circuitously evaluate AOB ammonia-oxidizing activity and to assess the presumed correlation between cellular activity and the dominant (greatest number) AOB population. Results demonstrated that the AOB group with higher amoA mRNA levels dominated the overall AOB population in the wastewater treatment process. Although AOB population dominance did not correlate well with transcripts at a normalized cellular level (amoA mRNA/DNA ratio), overall amoA mRNA levels did reflect the activity of distinct AOB groups under different N-loading conditions. Thus, an additional molecular parameter (amoA mRNA) was successfully utilized to assess timely shifts in AOB population structure that may impact nitrification treatment performance.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Waste Management and Research and Education Institute of the University of Tennessee (Knoxville).

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Author notes

  1. David H.-W. Kuo

    Present address: Biotechnology Experimental Center in Southern Taiwan, Academia Sinica, Tainan County, 74146, Taiwan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Tennessee, 219a Perkins Hall, 1506 Middle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996-2010, USA

    David H.-W. Kuo & Kevin G. Robinson

  2. Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

    Alice C. Layton & Gary S. Sayler

  3. Center for Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

    David H.-W. Kuo, Kevin G. Robinson, Alice C. Layton, Arthur J. Meyers & Gary S. Sayler

  4. Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN, USA

    Arthur J. Meyers

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  1. David H.-W. Kuo
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  2. Kevin G. Robinson
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Correspondence to Kevin G. Robinson.

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Kuo, D.HW., Robinson, K.G., Layton, A.C. et al. Transcription levels (amoA mRNA-based) and population dominance (amoA gene-based) of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 37, 751–757 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-010-0728-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-010-0728-3

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