Skip to main content
Log in

Quantification of ratios of Bacteria and Archaea in methanogenic microbial community by fluorescence in situ hybridization and fluorescence spectrometry

  • Published:
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for Bacteria (Eub338) and Archaea (Arc915) were used for whole-cell, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to quantify the ratio of these microbial groups in an anaerobic digester. The quantity of specifically bound (hybridized) probe was measured by fluorescence spectrometry and evaluated by analysing the dissociation curve of the hybrids, by the measurement of the binding with a nonsense probe, and by the competitive inhibition of the binding of the labelled probe by the corresponding unlabelled probe. Specific binding of oligonucleotide probes with the biomass of anaerobes was 40–50% of their total binding. The ratio of Arc915 and Eub338 probes hybridized with rRNAs of the cells in anaerobic sludge was 0.50. Measurement of FISH by fluorescence spectrometry appears to be a suitable method for quantification of the microbial community of anaerobes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alm, E.W., Oerther, D.B., Larsen, N., Stahl, D.A. & Raskin, L. 1996 The oligonucleotide probe database. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 62, 3557–3559.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amann, R. & Kuhn, M. 1998 In situ methods for assessment of microorganisms and their activities. Current Opinion in Microbiology 1, 352–358.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amann, R., Snaidr, J., Wagner, M., Ludwig, W. & Schleifer, K.H. 1996 In situ visualization of high genetic diversity in a natural microbial community. Journal of Bacteriology 178, 3496–3500.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association. 1998 Total suspended solids dried at 103–105 °C. In Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 20th edn. pp. 2.57–2.58. Lenure S. Clesceri, Arnold A. Greenberg, Andrew D. Eaton, eds. American Public Health Association/American Water Works Association/Water Environment Federation, Washington, DC, USA, ISBN 0–87553235–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burggraf, S., Mayer, T., Amann, R., Schadhauser, S., Woese, C.R. & Stetter, K.O. 1994 Identifying members of the domain Archaea with rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60, 3112–3119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, H., Hansen, M. & Sorensen, J. 1999 Counting and size classification of active soil bacteria by fluorescence in situ hybridization with an rRNA oligonucleotide probe. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 65, 1753–1761.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davenport, R.J., Curtis, T.P., Goodfellow, M., Stainsby, F.M. & Bingley, M. 2000 Quantitative use of fluorescent in situ hybridization to examine relationships between mycolic acid-containing actinomycetes and foaming in activated sludge plants. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 66, 1158–1166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffin, M.E., McMahon, K.D., Mackie, R.I. & Raskin, L. 1998 Methanogenic population dynamics during start-up of anaerobic digesters treating municipal solid waste and biosolids. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 57, 342–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, K.H., Ahring, B.K. & Raskin, L. 1999 Quantification of syntrophic fatty acid-beta-oxidizing bacteria in a mesophilic biogas reactor by oligonucleotide probe hybridization. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 65, 4767–4774.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harmsen, H.J., Akkermans, A.D., Stams, A.J. & de Vos, W.M. 1996 Population dynamics of propionate-oxidizing bacteria under methanogenic and sulfidogenic conditions in anaerobic granular sludge. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 62, 2163–2168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, I.S. & Ivanov, V.N. 2000 Detection of nitrifying bacteria in activated sludge by fluorescent in situ hybridization and fluorescence spectrometry. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 16, 425–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loge, F.J., Emerick, R.W., Thompson, D.E., Nelson, D.C. & Darby, J.L. 1999 Development of a fluorescent 16S rRNA oligonucleotide probe specific to the family Enterobacteriaceae. Water Environmental Research 71, 75–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maidak, B.L., Cole, J.R., Parker, C.T., Garrity, J.G.M., Larsen, N., Li, B., Lilburn, T.G., McCaughey, M.J., Olsen, G.J., Overbeek, R., Pramanik, S., Schmidt, T.M., Tiedje, J.M. & Woese, C.R. 1999 A new version of the RDP (Ribosomal Database Project). Nucleic Acids Research 27, 171–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manz, W., Amann, R., Ludwig, W., Wagner, M. & Scheifer, K.H. 1992 Phylogenetic oligodeoxynucleotide probes for the major subclasses of proteobacteria: problems and solution. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 15, 593–600.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, L., Stromley, J.M., Rittmann, B.E. & Stahl, D.A. 1994a Group-specific 16S rRNA hybridization probes to describe natural communities of methanogens. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60, 1232–1240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, L., Poulsen, L.K., Noguera, D.R., Rittmann, B.E. & Stahl, D. 1994b Quantification of methanogenic groups in anaerobic biological reactors by oligonucleotide probe hybridization. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60, 1241–1248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, L., Zheng, D., Griffin, M.E., Stroot, P.G. & Misra, P. 1995 Characterization of microbial communities in anaerobic bioreactors using molecular probes. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 68, 297–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raskin, L., Rittmann, B.E. & Stahl, D.A. 1996 Competition and coexistence of sulfate-reducing and methanogenic populations in anaerobic biofilms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 62, 3847–3857.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sekiguchi, Y., Kamagata, Y., Nakamura, K., Ohashi, A. & Harada, H. 1999 Fluorescence in situ hybridization using 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotides reveals localization of methanogens and selected uncultured bacteria in mesophilic and thermophilic sludge granules. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 65, 1280–1288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sorensen, A.H., Torsvik, V.L., Torsvik, T., Poulsen, L.K. & Ahring, B.K. 1997 Whole-cell hybridization of Methanosarcina cells with two new oligonucleotide probes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 63, 3043–3050.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tagawa, T., Syutsubo, K., Sekiguchi, Y., Ohashi, A. & Harada H. 2000 Quantification of methanogen cell density in anaerobic granular sludge consortia by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Water Science and Technology 42, 77–82.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tay, TL.S., Ivanov, V., Kim, I.S. et al. Quantification of ratios of Bacteria and Archaea in methanogenic microbial community by fluorescence in situ hybridization and fluorescence spectrometry. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 17, 583–589 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012424329494

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012424329494

Navigation