Open AccessComparative study of enrichment methods for the isolation of autotrophic nitrifying bacteria from soil, estuarine and marine sediments
Author(s) -
MacFarlane G.T.,
Herbert R.A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb00710.x
Subject(s) - autotroph , nitrifying bacteria , bacteria , isolation (microbiology) , environmental chemistry , biology , nitrification , chemostat , marine bacteriophage , estuary , microorganism , heterotroph , enrichment culture , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , chemistry , genetics , organic chemistry , nitrogen
A comparative study has been undertaken to determine the efficiency of methods for the enrichment and isolation of autotrophic nitrifying bacteria from soils and estuarine and marine sediments. Chemostat enrichments proved to be the most efficient means of isolating autotrophic NH + 4 oxidisers whereas NO − 2 oxidising bacteria were never successfully enriched by this method. In contrast, gel enrichment and traditional batch culture enrichments of nitrifying bacteria were comparatively time consuming procedures and the degree of enrichment obtained for NH + 4 oxidising bacteria never approached that obtained with continuous culture enrichments. Gel enrichments, however, because they have continuous physicochemical gradients provide qualitative advantages in that morphologically distinct types of nitrifying bacteria can be isolated from the same gel.