Open AccessPhylogeny of symbiotic methanogens in the gut of the termite Reticulitermes speratus
Author(s) -
Ohkuma Moriya,
Noda Satoko,
Horikoshi Koki,
Kudo Toshiaki
Publication year - 1995
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.1574-6968.1995.tb07912.x
Subject(s) - methanogen , biology , gene , phylogenetics , ribosomal rna , genetics , population , 16s ribosomal rna , bacteria , demography , sociology
The phylogeny of a symbiotic methanogen inhabiting the gut of a lower termite, Reticulitermes speratus , was analysed without cultivation. The small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (ssrDNA) and a 640‐bp portion of the gene encoding subunit A of methyl coenzyme M reductase ( mcrA ) were amplified from a mixed‐population DNA of the termite gut by polymerase chain reaction and cloned. The nucleotide sequence of the ssrDNA and the predicted amino acid sequence of the mcrA product were compared with those of the known methanogens. Both comparisons indicated that the termite symbiotic methanogen belonged to the order Methanobacteriales but was distinct from the known members of this order.