Open AccessDepth profile of sulfate‐reducing bacterial ribosomal RNA and mercury methylation in an estuarine sediment
Author(s) -
Devereux Richard,
Winfrey Michael R.,
Winfrey Janet,
Stahl David A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.1996.tb00301.x
Subject(s) - ribosomal rna , biology , 5s ribosomal rna , rna , sediment , sulfate reducing bacteria , 16s ribosomal rna , 28s ribosomal rna , 18s ribosomal rna , bacteria , ribosome , genetics , gene , paleontology
The community structure of complex anaerobic microbial communities has been difficult to elucidate because of an inability to cultivate most of the contributing populations. In this study, the distribution of sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB) in anaerobic sediments was determined using oligonucleotide probes complementary to the 16S ribosomal RNAs of major phylogenetic groups. Sediment cores were collected from Santa Rosa Sound in northwest Florida, and sectioned by depth into 1 to 2 cm fractions. Nucleic acids were extracted from each fraction and hybridized with the SRB‐specific ribosomal RNA probes. SRB ribosomal RNAs accounted for almost 5% of the microbial community ribosomal RNA pool in the 3–4 cm depth fraction and were dominated by Desulfovibrionaceae ribosomal RNA. The SRB ribosomal RNA peak coincided with mercury methylation, an activity attributed to SRB. Profiles of the ribosomal RNAs indicate that SRB populations in sediments are stratified by depth.