Distribution and abundance of Gram-positive bacteria in the environment: Development of a group-specific probe

Barbara J. MacGregor, Simon Toze, Elizabeth W. Alm, Richard Sharp, Cherie J. Ziemer, David A. Stahl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

We developed a 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probe (S-P-GPos-1200-a-A-13) for the Gram-positive bacteria, confirmed its specificity by database searches and hybridization studies, and investigated the effects of humic acids on membrane hybridizations with this probe. S-P-GPos-1200-a-A-13 was used to estimate the abundance of Gram-positive populations in the bovine rumen and Lake Michigan sediments. This probe should be useful for studies of the environmental distribution of Gram-positive bacteria and the detection of uncultured, phylogenetically Gram-positive bacteria with variable or negative Gram staining reactions, and could serve for Gram staining in some diagnostic settings.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)193-203
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Microbiological Methods
Volume44
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2 2001

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by NSF Grant DEB-9615356. The Lake Michigan sediment samples were collected during cruises on the R/V Neeskay, for which we thank Captain Ron Smith, First Mate Greg Stamatelakys, Duane Moser, and the crew. We also thank the Center for Great Lakes Studies of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for laboratory facilities.

Copyright:
Copyright 2007 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • 16S rRNA
  • Gram variable bacteria
  • Gram-positive bacteria
  • Humic acid
  • Lake Michigan
  • Oligonucleotide hybridization probe
  • Rumen

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