Open AccessBiomonitoring complex microbial communities using random amplified polymorphic DNA and principal component analysis
Author(s) -
Wikström Per,
Andersson AnnChristin,
Forsman Mats
Publication year - 1999
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.1574-6941.1999.tb00568.x
Subject(s) - biology , principal component analysis , dna , polymerase chain reaction , genetics , computational biology , biological system , statistics , gene , mathematics
This study demonstrates a method for describing changes in complex microbial communities without bias in ex situ cultivation. Bulk DNA was extracted and purified at regular intervals from two different model systems over a period of three weeks. Random amplified polymorphic DNA was used to generate DNA fingerprints, the polymerase chain reaction products were separated and detected by an automated sequencer and translated into data points, which were compiled into a matrix and assessed by principal component analysis. The reproducibility of the method was evaluated, and its ability to monitor overall changes in complex microbial communities was demonstrated.