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Diversity of Kenyan soda lake alkaliphiles assessed by molecular methods

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Abstract

DNA was extracted from water and sediment samples taken from soda lakes of the Kenyan-Tanzanian Rift Valley. DNA was also extracted from microbial enrichment cultures of sediment samples. 16S rRNA genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and microbial diversity was studied using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rDNA amplicons. Cloning and sequencing of single DGGE bands showed that they usually contained mixed amplicons. Several of the amplicon sequences had high identities, up to 99%, with 16S rRNA genes of organisms previously isolated from soda lakes, while others were only distantly related, with identities as low as 82%. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced amplicons indicated that sequences were related to the haloarchaeal, Bacillus/Clostridium, Rhodobacterium/Thioalcalovibrio/ Methylobacter, and Cytophaga/Flavobacterium/Bacteroides (CFB) groups and the enterobacteria/Aeromonas/Vibrio part of the γ3 subdivision of the Proteobacteria.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a committee studentship from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to H.R.

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Author notes

  1. Helen C. Rees

    Present address: Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK

    Helen C. Rees, William D. Grant & Shaun Heaphy

  2. Genencor International BV, Archimedesweg 30, 2333 CN, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Brian E. Jones

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  1. Helen C. Rees
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  2. William D. Grant
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  3. Brian E. Jones
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  4. Shaun Heaphy
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Correspondence to Helen C. Rees.

Additional information

Communicated by K. Horikoshi

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Rees, H.C., Grant, W.D., Jones, B.E. et al. Diversity of Kenyan soda lake alkaliphiles assessed by molecular methods. Extremophiles 8, 63–71 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-003-0361-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-003-0361-4

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